The Decibel Tracing the virus: How measles made its way back to Canada
Sep 24, 2025
Nathan Vanderklippe, an International correspondent for The Globe and Mail, shares highlights from his extensive investigation into the 2024–25 measles outbreak that originated from a Canadian wedding. He discusses the alarming return of a virus once eliminated in Canada and why its resurgence is a crucial public health alarm. Vanderklippe recounts his 40,000-kilometre journey, the spread through under-vaccinated communities, and the challenges posed by vaccine hesitancy. He emphasizes local trust networks' role in combatting the outbreak and explores the factors that contributed to the virus's rapid spread.
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Wedding Sparked A National Outbreak
- Leah flew from southern Thailand to a New Brunswick wedding and became seriously ill after the ceremony.
- Five days later hospitals confirmed she had measles, triggering a major outbreak linked to that gathering.
Measles As A Public Health Canary
- Measles reappeared despite decades of control, signaling broader public-health vulnerability.
- Nathan says measles acts as a canary for other vaccine-preventable diseases returning.
Large Guest List Drove Rapid Spread
- About 167 guests attended the wedding and over 100 returned to Ontario where cases appeared days later.
- Public health links most Canadian cases to that one international traveler who brought the strain in October 2024.