Canada’s measles cases are half of U.S. total, despite smaller population: WHO
Roughly 186,000 measles cases have been reported worldwide as of July. That's a 12 per cent increase compared with the same period last year.
The World Health Organization reports that Canada has half the number of measles cases compared to the United States, despite having a much smaller population. According to the WHO data from July 18, there are 47,459 confirmed measles cases across the Americas, which is three times higher than the total reported cases from last year in the region. Canada has confirmed 1,107 cases, while the United States has reported 2,260.
The disease has claimed 45 lives in the Americas this year, primarily in Guatemala and Mexico. The WHO urges the Americas to strengthen their vaccination, surveillance, and rapid outbreak response measures to combat the rising measles cases. Daniel Salas, the executive manager of WHO's regional office for the Americas, known as the Pan American Health Organization, emphasized that measles cannot be taken lightly.
He stated that achieving high vaccination coverage, early detection of suspected cases, and rapid response to interrupt transmission chains are crucial in stopping the spread of the disease. PAHO highlighted that North and South America are witnessing their highest number of confirmed cases in over two decades, with approximately 186,000 measles cases reported worldwide as of July. This represents a 12% increase compared to the same period last year.
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