Measles in Canada Between 2002 and 2013

Background. In 1994, Canada committed to eliminate measles by the year 2000. This report presents the epidemiology of measles in Canada between 2002 and 2013 and its implications in sustaining measles elimination. Methods. Cases included individuals reported to the Canadian Measles and Rubella Surveillance System with confirmed measles. Results. In Canada, 1171 cases of measles were reported between 2002 and 2013 (incidence 0.29 cases per 100 000 population). The annual number of cases ranged from 6 to 752. The majority of cases were unvaccinated (63%) or had an unknown vaccination status (19%). The median age of cases was 14.4 years (range, 30 cases. The effective reproductive number between 2002 and 2013 was estimated at 0.86 (95% confidence interval, .81–.92). Conclusions. Canada has maintained elimination between 2002 and 2013, but additional efforts are needed to reduce the proportion of unimmunized individuals and respond to importation events.