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Measles & Rubella Weekly Monitoring Report – Week 51: December 16 to December 22, 2018

Key Points

  • In Canada, one new case of measles and no new cases of rubella were reported in week 51, 2018. 
  • Twenty-nine (29) cases of measles and one case of congenital rubella syndrome have been reported in Canada in 2018.
  • Globally, there are large measles outbreaks reported across Europe which have affected a large number of countries. Canadians travelling to Europe and Venezuela are invited to consult the travel health notices for more information.

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Epidemiological summary

During epidemiological week 51, 2018 one new laboratory-confirmed case of measles and no new cases of rubella  were reported in CanadaFootnote 1. The measles case was reported by the province of Ontario, with rash onset in epidemiological week 51. This case was imported from the Ukraine. 

To date in 2018, a total of 29 cases of measles and 1 case of congenital rubella syndrome have been reported. The majority of measles cases were unique importations and a few of those resulted in transmissions in Canada. The last case of congenital rubella syndrome was reported in epidemiological week 39. The congenital rubella syndrome case will continue to be monitored by local public health to prevent risk of further spread.

Organization: Public Health Agency of Canada

Date published: 2019-01-04

Related Topics

Figure 1: Number of cases of measles (n=29),  rubella (n=0), and congenital rubella syndrome (n=1)Footnote 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 22, 2018.

figure 1

Figure 1 - Long Description
Figure 1: Number of cases measles (n=29), rubella (n=0) and congenital rubella syndrome/infection (n=1), 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 22, 2018.
Epidemiological Week of Rash Onset, 2018 Number of confirmed measles cases reported Number of confirmed rubella cases reported Number of confirmed congenital rubella syndrome/infection cases reported
1 0 0 0
2 0 0 0
3 0 0 0
4 1 0 0
5 0 0 0
6 1 0 0
7 1 0 0
8 0 0 0
9 0 0 0
10 1 0 0
11 0 0 0
12 0 0 0
13 0 0 0
14 1 0 0
15 1 0 0
16 2 0 0
17 1 0 0
18 1 0 0
19 1 0 0
20 0 0 0
21 0 0 0
22 3 0 0
23 1 0 0
24 1 0 0
25 1 0 0
26 1 0 0
27 0 0 0
28 1 0 0
29 0 0 0
30 0 0 0
31 2 0 0
32 0 0 0
33 0 0 1
34 1 0 0
35 0 0 0
36 1 0 0
37 1 0 0
38 1 0 0
39 0 0 0
40 0 0 0
41 1 0 0
42 0 0 0
43 0 0 0
44 1 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
Missing Rash Onset 0 0 0
Cases (year-to-date) 29 0 1

Geographic distribution

There is currently one active Footnote *  cases of measles reported in Canada.

Figure 2: Distribution of activeFootnote *, confirmed measles cases by health region.

figure 2

Figure 2 - Long Description
Figure 2: Distribution of active Figure 2 Table - Footnote * confirmed measles cases by health region
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 0
Central Zone 0
Edmonton Zone 0
North Zone 0
British Columbia 0
Yukon 0
Northwest Territories 0
Nunavut 0
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 3.

Return to footnote * referrer

Laboratory summary

Measles

In 2018, 26 cases of measles have been genotyped and the genotypes were B3 (n=7) and D8 (n=19) (Figure 3).

Figure 3: Distribution of measles genotypes detected in 2018 (n=26) by weekFootnote † of rash onset.

figure 3

Figure 2 - Note †

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 first Figure 2 - Note † referrer

Figure 3 - Long Description
Figure 3: Distribution of measles genotypes detected in 2018 (n=26) by weekFigure 2 - Note † 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 1 0 0 0 1
5 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
6 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 1
7 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 1
8 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
9 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
10 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 1
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 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 1
15 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
16 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 2
17 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 1
18 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 1
19 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 1
20 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
21 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
22 0 0 0 3 0 0 0 3
23 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 1
24 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 1
25 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 1
26 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
27 0 0 0 1 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 1 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 1 0 0 0 0
35 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
36 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0
37 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0
38 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0
39 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
40 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
41 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0
42 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
43 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
44 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
45 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
46 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
47 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
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
Total 7 0 0 19 0 0 0 26

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 named strains), refer to Hiebert J and Severini A. Canada Communicable Disease Report. 2014;  40-12: 257- 260. 

Rubella

In 2018, there has been one rubella (congenital rubella syndrome) case genotyped and it was genotype 2B.

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

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

Return to footnote 2 referrer

Footnote 3

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 3 referrer

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