U of A infectious diseases doctor warns as measles surge hits Alberta
By Nolan Hehir on December 10, 2025
A local infectious disease doctor cautions that measles cases are rapidly rising in Alberta as of late, marking the province’s most significant spread of the virus in more than a decade. Dr. Lynora Saxinger, an infectious diseases doctor and professor of medicine at the University of Alberta says that falling vaccination rates are a driving factor the sudden return of an illness once considered all but eliminated across Canada.
“Measles is a viral infection, and I think a lot of people think of it as being a kind of harmless kid rash illness, but actually it’s a whole-body infection, which means that people can have, you know, the fever and the rash, but also a lot of other complications, including problems like secondary pneumonias, encephalitis. And in a minority of cases, it can be very serious,” said Saxinger.
Canada held measles elimination status for years, with most cases being linked to international travel. But that pattern is shifting. Saxinger says the country has not experienced continual community transmission like the current surge since 1998. She explained that this year’s outbreak is much larger in scale: more than 5,000 reported cases this year so far, compared to about 750 cases during the last major spike in 2011. This number likely underestimates the true total, as it does not include unreported cases.
“We had elimination status of measles, which meant any time there was an outbreak of measles in Canada, you could pretty much trace that it had been brought in,” she added. “And really it has to do with a combination of overall vaccination rates being lower than is really needed for measles, because you want 95 per cent plus of the population to be immune to prevent transmission, because it’s extremely contagious.”
Dr. Lynora Saxinger says that Albertans can take straightforward steps to protect themselves. Receiving two doses of the MMR vaccine offers very strong immunity. People who are unsure of their vaccination history should check their records or speak with their healthcare provider.
More information on immunization reports can be found through your provider or by going to the MyHealth Alberta website, where you can also book a vaccine appointment.