Canada no longer can claim it has eliminated the most infectious virus known to medicine after the Pan American Health Organization announced Monday it has removed the country’s measles elimination status.

The decision comes after a special PAHO committee has confirmed sustained transmission of the same measles virus in Canada for more than one year, the Public Health Agency of Canada said in a news release.

“While transmission has slowed recently, the outbreak has persisted over 12 months, primarily within under-vaccinated communities,” the agency said.

“Canada can re-establish its measles elimination status once transmission of the measles strain associated with the current outbreak is interrupted for at least 12 months,” it added.

The country has been at the centre of a large outbre

See Full Page