Quebec’s latest measles outbreak is over after no cases reported in over a month

Quebec’s latest measles outbreak is over after no cases reported in over a month

In total, 28 cases were reported since the start of the summer

Quebec’s most recent measles outbreak that began at the start of summer is now over. In total, 28 cases were reported to the Health Ministry.

For an outbreak to end, 32 days must pass after the last contagious case. The last reported case of measles in the province dates back to July 1.

Each reported case triggers a public health investigation to determine the origin of the infection so that people who may have been exposed to the virus can be contacted and told to watch for symptoms.

This most recent outbreak was the fourth in Quebec since 2024. During the first wave of infections that year, the province was the epicentre of the outbreak in Canada, with 51 cases. At the time, there were 77 active cases in all of Canada.

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The following year, Alberta and Ontario had by far the most cases in the country. Each province had more than 2,000 cases.

As of July 18, 1,107 cases of measles had been reported in Canada in 2026, according to the Government of Canada’s measles monitoring report.

In the United States, the situation has worsened, with the country facing its worst outbreak in 35 years. As of July 30, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2,371 cases had been recorded in 2026.

Those most at risk of complications from the virus are babies under a year of age, people with weakened immune systems and those that are pregnant and unvaccinated.

Public health officials remind Quebecers that the best way to avoid getting measles is to get vaccinated against it.

Written by Hayley Carolan, with files from La Presse Canadienne's Katrine Desautels and CBC News