Measles cases across the country are being reported daily and, if the trend continues, Canada will likely lose its designation by October as a country that has eliminated measles.

Alberta currently has the second highest number of cases with 1,656 as of Friday afternoon, sitting behind Ontario, which is reporting 2,353 cases as of July 29. The situation in Canada has raised several red flags from experts and physicians with cases now exceeding those in the entire United States .

Dr. Stephanie Smith, an infectious disease physician at the University of Alberta Hospital, said for a country to lose its designation as one that has eliminated measles, there has to be evidence of ongoing transmission within Canada for one year — not cases brought from elsewhere.

The first measles outbreak began in October 2024 in New Brunswick and, since then, has spread to 10 of 13 provinces and territories, according to the Government of Canada’s measles dashboard. The only jurisdictions with no reported cases are Yukon, Nunavut, and Newfoundland and Labrador.

“I think that we will continue to have cases into the next several months. I think it’s very unlikely that we won’t lose our elimination status, which is really disappointing given this is something that is quite preventable,” Smith said.

Smith said losing the designation doesn’t mean anything specific, but is a metric to measure the general health of Canada’s population and the health care system. Losing the designation would suggest Canada’s public health systems are not where they should be compared to other high-income countries.

Smith said the current number of cases is “incredibly high” for measles.

“What is important to understand is that because measles is transmitted primarily by airborne route, the way that we have to manage that in the hospital is a little bit different, and it does make it quite challenging to manage patients in some health care settings,” she said.

At Alberta Hospital Edmonton — a mental health hospital — she said there are no negative pressure rooms, which is where staff would put those who have measles. Smith said if a situation arose where an inpatient or patient has measles and needs the care provided by Alberta Hospital, they’re unable to go there.

Janna Shapiro, a postdoctoral fellow at the University of Toronto’s Centre for Vaccine Preventable Diseases, said in Ontario, cases have slowed but are still present. Moving forward with future outbreaks of infectious diseases, she emphasized the need for better data on vaccination coverage across Canada and targeted outreach to address under-vaccination in certain communities.

“I think the key here is prevention and starting programs before there’s a problem,” Shapiro said.

“If you wait until there’s an outbreak, it’s really hard to get on top of it, especially with something as contagious as measles.”

In a Thursday statement from Alberta’s Ministry of Primary and Preventative Health Services to Postmedia, the ministry said the province takes the current measles situation seriously and is closely monitoring the outbreak.

“There are currently 16 active cases in Alberta — a number that has remained stable for several weeks,” the statement said.

“This stabilization is not simply the result of fewer people left to infect, as some have speculated, but reflects the impact of increased immunization rates and targeted public health interventions that are making a measurable difference.”

According to the province, there have been more than 92,000 vaccinations administered between March 16 and July 26, a 57 per cent increase from the same time last year. It said in both the south and north zones, vaccinations rose by 122 per cent and 95 per cent.

The province launched an immunization campaign in May, which it said will now expand through mid-August to keep momentum into the school year.

“Immunization remains our strongest defence. We continue to urge all Albertans to check their immunization records and ensure they and their children are up to date,” the statement said.