Ontario reports 74 new measles cases, including 28 more in the northern region
A dose of the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine awaits the next patient at a vaccine clinic at Southwestern Public Health in St. Thomas, Ont. on Tuesday, March 4, 2025.THE CANADIAN PRESS/ Geoff Robins
TORONTO — Ontario is reporting 74 new measles cases over the last week, bringing the total number of people in the province who have fallen ill to 2,083 since October.
That's lower than the number of new cases reported over the last several weeks, but includes an uptick in northern Ontario.
Public Health Ontario data released Thursday included 28 new infections in the region covered by Algoma Public Health, based in Sault Ste. Marie.
That brings the region's cumulative count to 81.
A provincial hot spot in southwestern Ontario saw 14 more cases, with Southwestern Public Health reporting a total of 739.
The report said seven infants in total have been born with congenital measles, including a premature baby in southwestern Ontario who died.
Ontario's chief medical officer of health announced that death last week — the outbreak's first — and noted the child was infected in the womb through a mother who was not vaccinated.
Throughout the outbreak, 40 pregnant people have been infected with measles, and most of them were not fully immunized.
The report said there have been 144 hospitalizations – among them 104 infants, children and teenagers – with nine admitted to intensive care since an outbreak began last fall.
Hospital stays ranged from one to 54 days with a median length of three days and two days for people in intensive care.
Several public health units, including those in Hamilton, North Bay, Niagara, York Region and eastern Ontario, reported no new cases.
Almost 840 infections had been reported in Alberta as of Wednesday. The western province is second to Ontario in the number of measles cases.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 12, 2025.
By Hannah Alberga, The Canadian Press
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