Worldwide, there were an estimated 10.3 million cases of measles in 2023, a 20% increase from 2022, according to new estimates from the World Health Organization (WHO) and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Inadequate immunization coverage globally is driving the surge in cases.
As a result of global gaps in vaccination coverage, 57 countries experienced large or disruptive measles outbreaks in 2023, affecting all regions except the Americas, and representing a nearly 60% increase from 36 countries in the previous year. The WHO African, Eastern Mediterranean, European, South-East Asia and Western Pacific regions experienced a substantial upsurge in cases. Nearly half of all large or disruptive outbreaks occurred in the African region.
As measles cases surge and outbreaks increase, the world’s elimination goal, as laid out in Immunization Agenda 2030, is under threat. Worldwide, 82 countries had achieved or maintained measles elimination at the end of 2023. Just this week, Brazil was reverified as having eliminated measles, making the WHO Americas Region once again free of endemic measles. With the exception of the African Region, at least 1 country in all WHO regions has eliminated the disease.
*Data as of epidemiological week 2025-13.
Source: Immunization data warehouse and country reports to CIM/PAHO. For USA data: Measles Cases and Outbreaks, CDC website: https://www.cdc.gov/measles/cases-outbreaks.html (27 March 2025).
Last Updated: 2025-03-28
This report provides a weekly summary of measles and rubella cases in Canada. Data are updated every Friday. This report was last updated on March 28, 2025 with data up to and including epidemiological week 11 (March 9 to 15, 2025).
Previous versions of this weekly report are also available.
In week 11 (March 9 to 15, 2025), 153 new measles cases (132 confirmed, 21 probable) were reported by 5 jurisdictions (Alberta, British Columbia, Ontario, Quebec, Saskatchwan).
In 2025, a total of 496 measles cases (410 confirmed, 86 probable) have been reported by 6 jurisdictions (Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, Ontario, Quebec, Saskatchewan), as of March 15, 2025. Four probable measles cases that were previously reported have been discarded following further investigation.
There is a multi-jurisdictional measles outbreak ongoing in Canada. Of the 496 measles cases (410 confirmed, 86 probable) reported in 2025, 432 cases (346 confirmed, 86 probable) are linked to this outbreak.
The outbreak began in New Brunswick in October 2024. It has continued to spread in Ontario and there have been related cases reported in Alberta, Manitoba, and Quebec. A total of 519 cases (403 confirmed, 116 probable) have been reported in this outbreak in 2024 and 2025, as of March 15, 2025.
ECDC publishes monthly surveillance data on measles and rubella submitted by the 30 EU/EEA countries. This report provides an overview of measles and rubella cases reported routinely to ECDC through Epipulse Cases. Measles and rubella cases are reported monthly, and data presented here are for the latest complete 12 months of reporting alongside a historical comparison.
In January 2025, 28 countries reported measles data, with 1,033 cases reported by 17 countries. There were 11 countries that reported zero cases. The highest case counts were reported by Romania (663), Italy (74), Spain (70), France (67) and Austria (48).
A weekly summary of all information gathered through epidemic intelligence activities regarding communicable diseases of concern to the EU. It also provides updates on the global situation and changes in the epidemiology of communicable diseases with potential to affect Europe. Diseases that are the focus of eradication efforts are also included.
Measles updates are included in the CDTR on a monthly basis.
Most Recent Report: Week 10: 11 March 2025
