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Measles & Rubella Weekly Monitoring Report – Week 52: December 24 to December 30, 2023

Organization

Public Health Agency of Canada

Related topics

Key points:

  • In Canada, no new cases of measlesor rubella were reported in week 52, 2023.
  • Currently, there are 2 active cases of measles and 1 active case of congenital rubella syndrome in Canada.
  • 12 cases of measles, 1 case of rubella and 2 cases of congenital rubella syndrome have been reported in Canada in 2023.
  • Canadians travelling outside of Canada are encouraged to consult the travel health notices for information on measles and rubella outbreaks occurring in other countries.

On this page

Epidemiological summary

During epidemiological week 52, 2023, no new cases of measles or rubella were reported in CanadaFootnote 2. To date in 2023, 12 cases of measles, 1 case of rubella and 2 cases of congenital rubella syndrome have been reported.

Figure 1: Number of cases of measles (n=12), rubella (n=1)Footnote 3, and congenital rubella syndrome/infection (n=2)Footnote 4 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 December 30, 2023.
Figure 1: Number of cases of measles (n=12), rubella (n=1), and congenital rubella syndrome/infection (n=2) 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 December 30, 2023.
Figure 1 - Text description
Epidemiological Week of Rash Onset, 2023 Number of confirmed measles cases reported Number of confirmed rubella cases reported Number of confirmed congenital rubella syndrome/infection cases reported
1 1 0 0
2 0 0 0
3 0 0 0
4 0 0 0
5 0 0 0
6 0 0 0
7 2 0 0
8 0 0 0
9 0 0 0
10 0 0 0
11 0 0 0
12 0 0 0
13 0 0 0
14 1 0 0
15 0 0 0
16 1 0 0
17 0 0 0
18 1 0 0
19 0 0 0
20 0 0 0
21 0 0 0
22 0 0 0
23 1 0 0
24 0 0 0
25 0 0 0
26 0 0 0
27 0 0 0
28 0 1 0
29 0 0 0
30 0 0 0
31 0 0 0
32 0 0 1
33 0 0 0
34 0 0 1
35 0 0 0
36 0 0 0
37 0 0 0
38 0 0 0
39 1 0 0
40 0 0 0
41 2 0 0
42 0 0 0
43 0 0 0
44 0 0 0
45 0 0 0
46 0 0 0
47 1 0 0
48 0 0 0
49 0 0 0
50 0 0 0
51 1 0 0
52 0 0 0
Cases (year-to-date) 12 1 2

Geographic distribution

There are currently 2 activeFootnote * cases of measles and 1 activeFootnote ** case of congenital rubella syndrome in Canada.

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

Active measles cases are those in which the onset date of the case falls within 42 days of the end date of the epidemiological week of the reportFootnote 5. Active rubella cases are those in which the onset date of the case falls within 46 days of the end date of the epidemiological week of the reportFootnote 6.

Return to footnote * referrer

Footnote **

Infants with CRS are considered infectious until they are at least 1 year old or until 2 clinical specimens obtained 1 month apart are negative for rubella virus by RT-PCR, either real-time or conventional; culture is also acceptable.

Return to footnote ** referrer

Laboratory Summary

Measles

To date in 2023, 11 cases of measles have been genotyped and the genotypes were B3 (n=6) and D8 (n=5)

Figure 4: Distribution of measles genotypes detected in 2023 (n=11) by weekFootnote *** of rash onset.
Figure 4: Distribution of measles genotypes detected in 2023 (n=11) by week*** of rash onset.
Figure 4 - Text description
Epi week B3 B3 - Harare D4 D8 D8 - Taunton D9 H1 Total
1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 1
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 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
7 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 2
8 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
9 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
10 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
11 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
12 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
13 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
14 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 1
15 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
16 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 1
17 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
18 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 1
19 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
20 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
21 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
22 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
23 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 1
24 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
25 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
26 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
27 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
28 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
29 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
30 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
31 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
32 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
33 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
34 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
35 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
36 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
37 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
38 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
39 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 1
40 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
41 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 2
42 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
43 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
44 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
45 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
46 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
47 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 1
48 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
49 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
50 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
51 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
52 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Total 6 0 0 5 0 0 0 11

Epidemiological weeks for laboratory specimens submitted to the National Microbiology Laboratory are assigned and reported in accordance with WHO guidelines (WHO.WER.2012;9(87):73) with week 1 beginning on the first Monday of the year, which for 2023 is January 02. However, for the purposes of this report, the genotype data is presented in accordance with PAHO reporting weeks with week 1 of 2023 beginning on January 01, 2023.

Footnote ***

Epidemiological weeks for laboratory specimens submitted to the National Microbiology Laboratory are assigned and reported in accordance with WHO guidelines (WHO.WER.2012;9(87):73) with week 1 beginning on the first Monday of the year, which for 2023 is January 02. However, for the purposes of this report, the genotype data is presented in accordance with PAHO reporting weeks with week 1 of 2023 beginning on January 01, 2023.

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

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

Return to footnote *** referrer

Rubella and Congenital rubella syndrome/infection

To date in 2023, 1 congenital rubella syndrome case has been genotyped and it was genotype 1G.

Footnotes

Footnote 1

Active measles cases are those in which the onset date of the case falls within 42 days of the end date of the epidemiological week of the report. Active rubella cases are those in which the onset date of the case falls within 46 days of the end date of the epidemiological week of the report.

Return to footnote 1 referrer

Footnote 2

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 2 referrer

Footnote 3

The date of onset of symptoms occurred in epidemiological week 28.

Return to footnote 3 referrer

Footnote 4

Epidemiological week of birth is used for congenital rubella syndrome/infection cases.

Return to footnote 4 referrer

Footnote 5

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Manual for the Surveillance of Vaccine-Preventable Diseases. Chapter 7: Measles. https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/pubs/surv-manual/chpt07-measles.html. Page last reviewed: May 13, 2019.

Return to footnote 5 referrer

Footnote 6

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Manual for the Surveillance of Vaccine-Preventable Diseases. Chapter 14: Rubella. https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/pubs/surv-manual/chpt14-rubella.html. Page last reviewed: May 18, 2018.

Return to footnote 6 referrer

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