Premature newborns die in Ontario after capturing measles from uninoculated mothers
A premature newborn in Ontario, Canada died after contracting measles, the first death this year, and was linked to the continued outbreak of preventable vaccines in the country.
Ontario health officials reported death Thursday. The child contracted the viral infection from his mother who had no measles vaccination. Canada, the United States and Mexico all face a measles outbreak in 2025, with vaccination rates low in some regions.
“I deeply confirm that a baby born prematurely and infected with measles has passed a tragic death in southwestern Ontario,” said Kieran Moore, chief medical officer of Ontario’s health.
The ongoing measles outbreak in North America is believed to have begun in Ontario for the first time last fall. By January 2025, measles began to hit parts of Texas, eventually spreading to nearby states and northern Mexico. These outbreaks occur largely in rural Mennonite communities, where people often abandon routine vaccinations and other medical services provided by external doctors. The United States and Mexico reported about 1,000 cases of measles this year, while in Canada, most in Canada, and most in Ontario reported more than 2,700 cases. But these numbers are almost certainly an underestimation of the problem.
According to Moore, children contract measles in the uterus, which may have caused their premature birth. However, children do have other medical complications that are not related to the virus, so infection may not be the main or only factor behind death. Generally speaking, measles has very low mortality, but is highly infectious in people who are not vaccinated and is known to be more dangerous for fetus and young children. According to the World Health Organization, more than 100,000 people died worldwide in 2023, most of whom were children under the age of five.
Although this is the first time Canada has had measles-related death this year, it is not the first time in North America. So far, three confirmed measles deaths have occurred in the United States, while more than 100 people, mainly children, have been hospitalized. Unlike the latest deaths, two of the U.S. deaths occurred in children without pre-existing health problems.
Recently, measles has been resurrected in most parts of the world due to a decline in vaccination rates. But while the problem has been intensifying over time, the situation in the United States is expected to worsen under the current president. Many appointees of President Donald Trump, especially Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Kennedy downplayed the ongoing outbreaks and supported suspicious measles treatments, with little evidence, such as cod liver oil supplements. Many Americans today maintain serious attitudes to the severity of these outbreaks and the importance of vaccination.
Anyone who has not been vaccinated is at risk and I urge everyone, especially those who may be pregnant, to ensure they receive two doses of MMR vaccine, which will protect both parents and babies. The vaccine has been safe for more than 50 years and is very effective,” Moore announced the death of the child in the announcement.
