Wednesday July 9, 2025 | VICTORIA, BC [Updated on July 10 & 12, 2025]
by Mary P Brooke | Island Social Trends
On Thursday July 10, Minister of Health Josie Osborne will provide an update on measles cases in British Columbia.
The 11 am update was livestreamed: BC Measles update – Livestream Link
One active case in BC:
As of July 8, 2025 there is one active contagious measles case in BC and 10 patients are hospitalized, it was reported by BC Health on July 10.
The majority of cases of measles in BC are in individuals who are not fully immunized, the health ministry says.
Health Minister’s remarks:
“We’re fortunate in BC to have the public health care system that we do,” said Osborne during her remarks to media today.
“It’s not appropriate for politics or non-educated or people without expertise to draw conclusions that are misguided or plain wrong,” said Osborne with regard to how some measles information is spreading in the United States where measles is also spreading.
She encourages people to “talk to a trusted individual”, listing off doctors, pharmacists and other professionals in the broader BC health care system.
Global exposure, came to BC:
Canadians who have travelled and returned to BC have imported measles to this province. Also, visitors to this province have brought cases here.
There are known localized pockets of unimmunized and under-immunized people who interact socially, so now measles is spreading locally around BC.
Regional and by age in BC:
Most cases are in northern parts of BC right now, and in younger people (both children and young adults).
According to the BC Centre for Disease Control (BC CDC), as of July 8, 2025 the age group of 5 to 17 years sees 49% of the measles cases in BC. People ages 18 to 54 comprise 30% of the cases, while children ages one to four years of age comprise 17% of measles cases. Infants under the age of one year show 4% of cases.
Highly contagious:
Measles is highly contagious airborne infection. People of all ages can acquire it (and pass it on); the illness caused in children can leave permanent scarring and other health impacts.
Immunization rates for protection against measles have been falling in BC and other parts of Canada over recent years. As such, community immunity has fallen below safe levels in some parts of the country which has become a public health issue.
In BC, community (aka herd) immunity is achieved with over 95% immunity in the population.
- People who were born before 1970 are likely to have natural immunity from having had the illness.
- People born after 1970 should have received two doses of MMR (mumps, measles, rubella) vaccine.
If you have measles, suspected symptoms of measles, or may have been exposed to measles, BC Public Health advises to not go out among other people and to not travel (including to Alberta and Ontario where there are presently measles outbreaks).
Measles in pregnancy:
Preparations are being made by BC public health for contacting all prenatal care providers.
Pregnant women who are already immunized will pass on that immunity to their fetus.
Infants under 12 months are a high priority risk group, it was stated in BC’s live measles update today.
In British Columbia children typically receive their first measles immunization, as part of the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine, at 12 months of age. The second dose, which is usually the measles, mumps, rubella, and varicella (MMRV) vaccine, is administered around kindergarten entry, between 4 and 6 years old.
More information:
For more details about measles visit the BC Centre for Disease Control Measles information page.
===== RELATED:
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- Time for a ‘sick bay’ on BC Ferries major vessels? (June 25, 2025)
- Measles exposures notifications for Interior, Fraser Valley, Metro Vancouver and Vancouver Island (June 24, 2025)
- Measles case in Kamloops confirmed by Interior Health (June 24, 2025)
- Measles confirmed in traveler to Sparwood BC (June 17, 2025)
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