measles cases in alberta jump to 724 as experts predict cases will continue to rise
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alberta reported a total of 724 measles infections so far this year, putting the province on track to having its worst year for measles since 1986, when 843 cases were recorded.
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as of tuesday, alberta has reported 724 cases of measles, 710 of which are past the period of communicability.
four people have been hospitalized with the infection, one of whom is in the icu.
with no signs of slowing down, experts have said cases will continue to rise over the summer and that the true number of cases could be much higher, as not everyone who is infected seeks treatment.
“once we saw community-level transmission, i think it became very clear that containing this was going to be difficult and we can expect numbers to rise quite sharply,” infectious disease specialist craig jenne said friday.
“we do know that there are children and others out there who may have contracted the measles but, because they may not require additional care, they are being treated at home,” he added.
this would make 2025 the worst year for measles in the province since 1986, when 843 cases were recorded.
the virus has especially spread among the province’s youth, with 338 cases reported among children and teenagers aged between five and 17 years, and 210 infections in children younger than five years.
the majority of cases are contained in the province’s south and central health zones, where 533 and 103 cases have been reported, respectively.
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measles infections have become so prevalent in the south zone that health officials have issued a standing measles advisory for the entire region due to the inability to identify and track the sources of infections.
no measles deaths have been reported in 2025, although experts have cautioned that once cases reach into the thousands, deaths are more likely to happen.
during the province’s last serious outbreak, the provincial measles immunization program was still taking off, with the current measles vaccine produced four years earlier.
thanks to a rigorous vaccination program well into the ’90s, the province was declared measles-free by 1998, but low rates of vaccination in communities due to a false sense of security against the virus and recent anti-vaxxer sentiment have lowered community immunity and allowed for the spread of the infection.
the province has ramped up efforts since may to encourage the public to check and update their vaccination records, with advertisements on social media, radio and digital channels in a plethora of languages.
the campaign has been successful, according to maddison mckee, spokesperson for alberta health, who said health officials have seen a 55 per cent increase in vaccine intake between march 16 and may 4, compared with the same time period in 2024.
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“in the south zone alone, 3,489 vaccinations have been administered since march 16, marking a 115 per cent increase year over year,” she said in early may.
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