Premature Infant in Ontario Dies from Measles
A premature baby in Ontario, Canada, has tragically died after contracting measles, marking the first such death this year amid a rising measles outbreak in the country.
Health officials in Ontario confirmed the death on Thursday. The infant was infected by the virus from their mother, who had not been vaccinated against measles. In 2025, Canada, the U.S., and Mexico have seen significant outbreaks of measles, largely due to declining vaccination rates in specific areas.
“It is with deep sadness that I confirm that an infant, born prematurely and infected with measles, has tragically passed away in southwestern Ontario,” stated Kieran Moore, Ontario’s chief medical officer of health.
The measles outbreaks currently affecting North America are believed to have begun in Ontario last fall. By January 2025, the virus had spread to Texas, and subsequently to neighboring states and Northern Mexico. These outbreaks are particularly prevalent in certain rural Mennonite communities that tend to avoid routine vaccinations and outside medical services. In the U.S. and Mexico, roughly 1,000 measles cases have been reported this year, while Canada, especially Ontario, has documented over 2,700 cases—likely an underestimate of the true situation.
According to Moore, the child may have contracted measles while in the womb, potentially contributing to their premature birth. The baby had other medical complications unrelated to the virus, so it could be that the infection wasn’t the sole cause of their death. Measles typically has a low fatality rate, but it’s highly contagious and particularly dangerous to fetuses and very young children. In 2023, the World Health Organization reported that over 100,000 individuals died from measles globally, the majority being children under five.
While this marks Canada’s first measles-related death this year, North America has seen three confirmed deaths from the virus in the U.S., along with over 100 hospitalizations, predominantly affecting children. Unlike the case in Ontario, two of the U.S. fatalities involved unvaccinated children with no existing health issues.
Globally, measles has made a comeback, exacerbated by decreasing vaccination rates. The situation in the U.S. seems poised to worsen, particularly under the current administration. There have been concerns regarding misinformation about vaccine safety from key figures, including Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who has often minimized the outbreaks’ severity and promoted questionable treatments for measles.
“Anyone who is unvaccinated is at risk, and I urge everyone, especially those who may become pregnant, to ensure they have received two doses of the MMR vaccine, which protects both parent and baby. This vaccine has safely been used for over 50 years and is highly effective,” Moore emphasized following the announcement of the infant’s death.
