“On November 10, Canada was stripped of its measles-free designation, and as a result, the Pan American Health Organization declared that the Americas had lost its measles elimination status.”
The Pan American Health Organization announced that the Americas region no longer qualifies as measles-free after Canada lost its elimination status. The setback follows declining vaccination rates across North America and outbreaks that have reestablished endemic transmission. The Americas was the first WHO region to eliminate measles in 2016. Measles is one of the most contagious diseases known, with a single infected person capable of spreading it to 12-18 unvaccinated individuals.