Manitoba declares measles outbreak over after weeks without cases
Posted October 16, 2026 5:49 pm
1 min read
Pharmacists in Manitoba can now administer measles-containing vaccines
The Manitoba government has declared its almost 20-month measles outbreak over, following weeks without a lab-confirmed case.
The outbreak officially ended on Friday, after no lab-confirmed cases of the highly contagious disease were identified in recent weeks. The last confirmed instance of measles was reported in August, the Manitoba government said in a news release. It said the province is following the guidance of public health officials and Manitoba Health, Seniors and Long-Term Care.
After the measles outbreak was announced in February 2025, there were 1,038 cases reported in Manitoba. Of those, 931 were lab-confirmed and 107 were probable, according to the province.
Fifty-two measles-related hospitalizations occurred in that time, with six of those requiring treatment in the intensive care unit. Half of the patients who needed hospital treatment were younger than 10 years old, and most had not received the measles-mumps-rubella vaccine.
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No measles-related deaths were reported in the province during Manitoba’s outbreak, according to the provincial government.
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The number of vaccines administered since the outbreak began increased by 15 per cent in 2025 when compared to the year prior, the province said.
In response to climbing case counts, Manitoba expanded vaccine eligibility for people living in measles-afflicted areas. The loosened guidelines allowed babies as young as six months old in areas, including Prairie Mountain Health and the Interlake Eastern Regional Health Authority, to be immunized early. This system is no longer in effect, the government said.
Instead, it pointed parents to the province’s current, routine immunization schedules.
“Although no measles outbreaks are currently occurring in Canada, measles transmission remains high in some parts of the world and outbreaks continue in the United States,” the Manitoba government cautioned.
The province said people should ensure they are fully vaccinated and advised residents to stay up to date with the current public health recommendations.
Looking back at Canada’s response to the measles outbreak
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