Canada loses its measles-free status, with US on track to follow
Public health officials say the cases are spreading primarily in "under-vaccinated communities", urging people to get the MMR jab.
Canada's outbreak began last October, with health officials attributing it to fewer people being vaccinated against measles.
The US, however, risks losing its status as well if it does not stop an ongoing outbreak by January. Related cases have now been reported in Utah, Arizona and South Carolina.
Because Canada is no longer deemed measles-free, the Americas region as a whole has lost its elimination status, although individually the other countries are still considered to have stamped out the disease.
Canada has lost its measles elimination status, said the Pan American Health Organization (Paho) on Monday, after failing to curb an outbreak of the virus for 12 consecutive months.
At a news conference on Monday, Paho officials appealed to Canadian governments and the public to ramp up vaccinations, noting that 95% of the population needs to be immunised to stop the spread of measles.
"This loss represents a setback, but it is also reversible," said Dr Jarbas Barbosa, the health organisation's director.
The Public Health Agency of Canada said in its own statement that it is collaborating with Paho and regional health authorities to improve vaccine rates and strengthen data sharing.
Prior to Monday, Canada had been declared measles-free for three decades. It can regain its elimination status if it can curb spread of the measles strain associated with the current outbreak for at least 12 months.
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