Measles is a respiratory disease caused by a highly contagious virus that’s more infectious than influenza, chickenpox or COVID-19.
Measles illnesses tend to be mild, but the severity can range from ear infections and pneumonia to swelling of the brain called encephalitis — which can lead to convulsions, deafness or intellectual disability. In one case in Ontario in 2024, measles led to the death of a child under age five.
“I’m concerned in that the overall vaccination coverage is much lower in Canada than is needed to stop measles in its tracks,” said Dr. Theresa Tam, Canada’s chief public health officer.
Measles symptoms include:
- Fever.
- Cough.
- Red, watery eyes.
- Runny nose.
- Koplik spots — small, white spots that occur on the inside of the cheeks.
- A rash that usually begins as flat, red spots on the face and spreads to the trunk, arms and legs.
The virus that causes measles spreads through the air and by contact …