Measles: Winnipeg, 1973

There were 688 reported cases of measles in Winnipeg from January to June 1973. Seventy-three cases (10.6%) occurred among previously immunized children, 59% of whom had received their inoculations at less than 1 year of age. Seventy-five cases (10.9%) were severe enough to require admission to hospital, and 92% of these patients developed complications, most often pneumonia. Since 89.4% of the cases occurred among nonvaccinated children and another 6.3% were due to immunization at less than 1 year of age, the nonuse and misuse of measles vaccine appear to be the major causes of the present epidemic.