Helen Branswell

Canada had been declared measles-free in 1998 and had maintained that status for 27 years.

Many of these infections were occurring within communities of religious people who don't like to interact a lot with the outside world.

It's not so much that they're anti-vax per se, they keep to themselves.

That's a very high number.

The last time the United States has had that many measles cases in a year was in 1992.

So yes, it's been a big measles year in the United States.

That's the same number it recorded in the 24 years previous to this in total.

Measles deaths in the modern era in a country like the United States or in Canada should be extremely rare.

They shouldn't exist anymore.

The United States has recorded three.

Canada has had two.

Mexico, which is having a very bad outbreak, has had 25.

In this day and age, you wouldn't expect that to happen, but there are going to be more of these if the pattern that has been unfolding continues.