Measles & Rubella Weekly Monitoring Report - Week 15, 2017: April 9 to April 15, 2017

Key Points

  • In Canada, no new cases of measles were reported in week 15, 2017.
  • Four provinces have active measles cases: Nova Scotia (n=10), Ontario (n=4), New Brunswick (n=1), and Alberta (n=1).
  • A total of 31 cases of measles, and zero cases of rubella have been reported in Canada in 2017.

Epidemiological Summary

During epidemiological week 15, 2017, no new cases of measles were reported in CanadaFootnote 1

To date in 2017, 31 cases of measles have been reported in Canada, resulting from 8 unique importation events. Of these importation events, two have led to secondary transmission. An outbreak in February has since been declared over, while an importation in March has resulted in 17 secondary cases reported across four different provinces.

No cases of rubella have been reported in 2017 (Figure 1). It has been 60 epidemiologic weeks since the last rubella case was reported (week 6, 2016).

Figure 1: Number of cases of measles (n=31) and rubella (n=0), by week of rash onset, as reported to the Canadian Measles/ Rubella Surveillance System (CMRSS) and Measles and Rubella Surveillance system (MARS), for the period ending April 15, 2017.

Figure 1

Figure 1 - Text Description
Figure 1: Number of cases of measles (n=31) and rubella (n=0), by week of rash onset, as reported to the Canadian Measles/Rubella Surveillance System (CMRSS) and Measles and Rubella Surveillance system (MARS), for the period ending April 15, 2017.
Epidemiological Week of Rash Onset, 2017 Number of confirmed measles cases reported Number of confirmed rubella cases reported
1 0 0
2 0 0
3 0 0
4 1 0
5 0 0
6 2 0
7 1 0
8 4 0
9 1 0
10 0 0
11 1 0
12 8 0
13 12 0
14 1 0
15 0 0
Missing Rash Onset 0 0
Cases (year-to-date) 31 0

Geographic Distribution

There are currently 16 reported activeFigure 2 - Footnote * cases of measles in Canada, 10 in Nova Scotia, 4 in Ontario, 1 in New Brunswick, and 1 in Alberta (Figure 2).

There are no reported active cases of rubella in Canada (Figure not shown).

Maps from previous weeks, including any retrospective updates, are available online in the Measles and rubella weekly surveillance maps feature.

Figure 2: Distribution of activeFigure 2 - Footnote *, confirmed measles cases by health region.

Figure 2

Figure 2 - Footnote *

Active cases or outbreaks are those in which the onset date of the most recent case/outbreak-associated case falls within 32 days of the issue date of this reportFootnote 2.

Return to first Figure 2 - Footnote * referrer

Figure 2 - Text Description
Figure 2: Distribution of active Figure 2 Table - Footnote * confirmed measles cases by health region
Health Region Measles Cases Rubella Cases
Eastern Regional Integrated Health Authority 0 0
Central Regional Integrated Health Authority 0 0
Western Regional Integrated Health Authority 0 0
Labrador-Grenfell Regional Integrated Health Authority 0 0
Prince Edward Island 0 0
South Shore District Health Authority 9 0
South West Nova District Health Authority 0 0
Annapolis Valley District Health Authority 0 0
Colchester East Hants Health Authority 0 0
Cumberland Health Authority 0 0
Pictou County Health Authority 0 0
Guysborough Antigonish Strait Health Authority 0 0
Cape Breton District Health Authority 0 0
Capital District Health Authority 1 0
Zone 1 (NB) 0 0
Zone 2 (NB) 0 0
Zone 3 (NB) 1 0
Zone 4 (NB) 0 0
Zone 5 (NB) 0 0
Zone 6 (NB) 0 0
Zone 7 (NB) 0 0
Québec et Chaudières-Appalaches 0 0
Centre-du-Québec 0 0
Montréal et Laval 0 0
Ouest-du-Québec 0 0
Montérégie 0 0
Nord-Est 0 0
Ontario Central East 1 0
Ontario Central West 1 0
Ontario Eastern 1 0
Ontario North East 0 0
Ontario North West 0 0
Ontario South West 0 0
City of Toronto Health Unit 1 0
Winnipeg Regional Health Authority 0 0
Prairie Mountain Health 0 0
Interlake-Eastern Regional Health Authority 0 0
Northern Regional Health Authority 0 0
Southern Health 0 0
Saskatchewan South 0 0
Saskatchewan Central 0 0
Saskatchewan North 0 0
South Zone 0 0
Calgary Zone 1 0
Central Zone 0 0
Edmonton Zone 0 0
North Zone 0 0
British Columbia 0 0
Yukon 0 0
Northwest Territories 0 0
Nunavut 0 0
Figure 2 Table - Footnote *

Active cases or outbreaks are those in which the onset date of the most recent case/outbreak-associated case falls within 32 days of the issue date of this report.

Return to Figure 2 Table - Footnote * referrer

Laboratory Summary

Measles

To date in 2017, 19 measles cases have been genotyped and the genotypes are B3 (n=6) and D8 (n=13) (Figure 3). Genotype information is pending for 5 additional cases.

During epidemiological week 15, 2017, 1 new measles genotype result became available. This case had an identical genotype D8 sequence to an imported case from India (Week 11), and was epidemiologically linked to that case. A total of 8 cases (index case imported from India and 7 secondary cases with documented exposure to the index case) with identical sequences have been reported across three provinces.

Figure 3: Distribution of measles genotypes detected in 2017 (n=19) by weekFigure 2 - Footnote of rash onset.

Figure 3
Figure 3 - Footnote †

Epidemiological weeks for laboratory specimens are assigned in accordance with WHO guidelines (WHO.WER.2012;9 (87):73) with week 1 beginning on the first Monday of the year.

Return to Figure 3 - Footnote referrer

Figure 3 - Text Description
Figure 3: Distribution of measles genotypes detected in 2017 (n=19) by week Figure 3 Table - Footnote of rash onset.
Epi week B3 B3 - Harare D4 D8 D8 - Taunton D9 H1 Total
1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
4 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
5 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
6 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 2
7 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 1
8 2 0 0 2 0 0 0 4
9 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
10 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
11 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 2
12 0 0 0 7 0 0 0 7
13 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 2
14 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 1
15 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Total 6 0 0 13 0 0 0 19
Figure 3 Table - Footnote †

Epidemiological weeks for laboratory specimens are assigned in accordance with WHO guidelines (WHO.WER.2012;9(87):73) with week 1 beginning on the first Monday of the year.

Return to Figure 3 Table - Footnote referrer

The current global distribution of measles genotypes can be found on the WHO Measles Surveillance website.

For information regarding the interpretation and use of measles genotyping (including a discussion of genotypes and sequence variants), refer to Hiebert J and Severini A. Canada Communicable Disease Report. 2014; 40-12: 257- 260.

Rubella

To date in 2017, no rubella cases have been genotyped.

Footnotes

Footnote 1

Only cases with rash onset up to the indicated end date are included in this report. Any additional cases will be described in future reports.

Return to footnote 1 referrer

Footnote 2

Public Health Agency of Canada. Guidelines for the prevention and control of measles outbreaks in Canada. Canadian Communicable Disease Report. 2013. Vol. 39: Definitions: conclusion of an outbreak (p. 5).

Return to footnote 2 referrer

Page details

Date modified: