Did you visit Food Basics or Costco last week? Ottawa health unit warns of possible measles exposure
Ottawa Public Health has confirmed the city's first cases of measles since 2019 amid a province-wide outbreak that has now topped more than 1,200 cases.
Article content
Article content
Two Ottawa residents, an adult and a child, are believed to have acquired measles when travelling internationally, Ottawa Public Health said Thursday. No other information has been released.
Article content
But others may have been exposed.
Article content
Article content
The health unit is warning people who were at Food Basics grocery store at 1021 Cyrville Road on April 21 between 5 p.m. and 8 p.m. and Costco at 1405 Blair Towers Place on April 23 between 6 p.m. and 8:45 p.m. that they may have been exposed to the measles virus. They are being asked to monitor for symptoms for 21 days following possible exposure.
Article content
Article content
Public health officials are directly notifying people who might have been exposed but issued a public service announcement for those they are unable to reach. OPH says it might expand the list as its investigation continues.
Article content
Measles is highly contagious and can spread easily through the air to people who are susceptible, even hours after an infected person has left the premises. The measles vaccination is both safe and highly effective. The majority of people who have been infected with measles in Ontario during the record outbreak this year were not immunized.
Article content
The fact that the cases identified in Ottawa are believed to be the result of travel-related exposure means there has been no confirmed local spread in the city, but OPH says the investigation is ongoing.
Article content
Article content
Ottawa Public Health, the city, CHEO, other local hospitals and physicians have all been on alert for measles in recent months as the number of cases in the province continued to grow. One emergency physician said it was only a matter of time before the infectious disease arrived in the city, considering its spread in the province and around the world.
Article content
Two more cases of measles, the area's first, have also been confirmed in Renfrew County, according to Public Health Ontario (PHO).
Article content
There have been a total of 1,242 cases of measles confirmed in Ontario since January 1 – the largest outbreak in decades of an illness that was considered eliminated in Canada because of high vaccination rates. Of those 1,242 cases, all but 36 were linked to a multi-jurisdictional outbreak that began in October during a Mennonite gathering in New Brunswick. Between October and May 1,243 measles cases in the province were linked to that single outbreak.
Article content
Although there appeared to be signs that the outbreak and spread of measles was losing steam in Ontario, Public Health Ontario is reporting 223 new cases in the past week alone. That does not include the two cases identified by Ottawa Public Health. Two new health units, including Renfrew, were also added to the list of regions with measles cases, which is now up to 17. Ottawa's cases, which are not part of the PHO report, bring that total to 18 health units encompassing much of the province.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
a day ago
What we know about measles during pregnancy
The death of an Ontario infant (new window) born prematurely and infected with measles through the mother is raising questions about how the virus is transmitted during pregnancy. On Thursday, Ontario health officials announced the death of a baby (new window) who was infected with the virus while in the womb. It was the first fatality in the provincial outbreak that began on Oct. 28 last year and includes 2,009 probable and confirmed cases. While measles may have been a contributing factor in both the premature birth and death, the infant also faced other serious medical complications unrelated to the virus, Dr. Kieran Moore, Ontario's chief medical officer of health, said in a statement released Thursday. Measles is a respiratory infection with symptoms that include fever, a blotchy rash, a cough and red, watery eyes. In May 2024, a child under five died of measles in Hamilton (new window) , but before that, there were no measles deaths in the province in more than a decade. Measles-infected baby dies in southwestern Ontario (new window) Moore has previously said the current outbreak was traced to a Mennonite wedding in New Brunswick, and is spreading primarily in Mennonite and Amish communities where vaccination rates lag. The majority of those cases are in southwestern Ontario. WATCH | Death of a measles-infected baby in Ontario: Début du widget Widget. Passer le widget ? Fin du widget Widget. Retourner au début du widget ? Measles-infected baby dies in southwestern Ontario An infant born prematurely and infected with measles in the womb through their mother has died, Ontario's Chief Medical Officer Dr. Kieran Moore announced Thursday. It is the province's first recorded death from the current outbreak that started in October of last year. Health officials stress that anyone who isn't vaccinated is vulnerable to measles and they encourage everyone to ensure they are up to date on their Measles, Mumps and Rubella (MMR) vaccines. I urge everyone, but especially those who may become pregnant, to ensure they have received two doses of the MMR vaccine, which will protect both a parent and baby, said Moore. What is known about measles transmission during pregnancy? Dr. Jacqueline Wong, a pediatric infectious diseases specialist at McMaster Children's Hospital, says transmission of measles during pregnancy is rare. If the baby does contract measles from the mother in utero, Wong says the impact varies depending on how far along the pregnancy is. Your risk of transmitting the infection to the baby varies during the different trimesters because of the development of the fetus, the development of the placenta and the blood flow. What are the risks during pregnancy? Dr. Sheryl Choo, a maternal-fetal medicine specialist at Royal Alexandra Hospital in Edmonton, says there are serious complications that can result if people who are pregnant become infected with measles. For instance, she says pregnant people infected with measles can develop lung infections like pneumonia at almost double the rate of those who are not pregnant. If people become infected with measles during pregnancy (new window) , Choo notes it can also increase the risk of serious complications including miscarriage and premature birth. According to Moore, the MMR vaccine has been safely used for over 50 years and is highly effective. Two doses provide nearly 100 per cent protection, he said in a statement Thursday. What about risks to the baby? Babies born to those infected with measles can face complications related to premature birth, such as low birth weight and breathing issues, which can result in stays in the neonatal intensive care unit, Choo said. This is all on top of the symptoms of a measles infection itself, she said. Much rarer complications of measles can include subacute sclerosing panencephalitis, or SSPE (new window) . It is almost always fatal and generally develops seven to 10 years after an initial measles infection (new window) , even if the person appears to have fully recovered. It can be dormant in the brain for years and may eventually flare up, causing brain inflammation and resulting in children or young adults losing the ability to move and speak. According to the Public Health Agency of Canada, SSPE occurs in between four and 11 out of every 100,000 measles cases. Health officials say it strikes between seven and 11 years after an initial infection and the highest rates are among children who contract measles before the age of two. If I'm pregnant can I get the measles vaccine? No, the measles vaccine is not recommended to be administered to people who are already pregnant. If you want to take the measles vaccine, it has to be before you're pregnant, Choo said. That's because the measles vaccine contains a live strain that is a weakened form of the virus, which is not recommended during pregnancy. Choo says that's because there is a theoretical risk that the measles virus contained in the vaccine can be passed to the baby. In contrast, vaccines that contain inactivated viruses can be given during pregnancy. The flu vaccine is one example. Is there treatment for pregnant people exposed to measles? If you're pregnant and you think you may have been exposed to measles, health officials advise you to contact your local health authority. They can determine if exposure occurred and direct patients to seek appropriate care without contributing to further spread. If measles exposure is confirmed, Choo says there is an injectable medication option called IVIg (new window) . Depending on when the exposure occurred, the medication may be used to help protect against infection or reduce severity of the illness. However, health officials and doctors agree that the best way to protect against measles is immunization. The most important recommendation or advice I can give … is to make sure you're up to date with all the immunization if you're starting that journey of becoming pregnant, Wong said. CBC News with files from CBC's Alison Northcott and Christine Birak
Globe and Mail
4 days ago
- Globe and Mail
Ontario baby's measles-related death highlights vaccination critical, health experts say
Health care providers say the death of a premature baby infected with measles in Ontario is a stark reminder of the importance of getting immunized to protect against the highly contagious virus. The first death associated with the current measles outbreak in Canada was confirmed on Thursday by the provincial health ministry. A baby born prematurely in Southwestern Ontario, considered the epicentre of the country's measles outbreak, contracted measles before birth from their unvaccinated mother. Measles contributed to the premature birth and death but officials noted that the infant faced other 'serious medical complications.' Public health officials and health care providers say the death underscores the risks of not receiving the measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine. The increased risks to pregnant individuals and their babies are severe and can include miscarriage, premature labour, low birth weight and possible death. Public Health Ontario data show there have been 39 pregnant women with measles in the province since last the outbreak began last fall. Lynora Saxinger, an infectious disease doctor who is also a professor at the University of Alberta, said it is devastating to consider the death of a baby related to an entirely preventable disease. 'But, in honesty, as soon as you start to see more and more measles circulating, and including the fact we're probably undercounting some cases, it's not truly surprising,' she said. 'I expect that we will see more bad outcomes if we don't get these outbreaks under control.' The Ontario infant is the first recorded death in Canada linked to the current outbreak, which began last October and has led to more than 3,000 cases across the country. Ontario and Alberta have been hit the hardest and are still seeing cases surge, particularly among unvaccinated children. With measles making a comeback, doctors race to fight a disease many have only seen in textbooks In Southwestern Ontario, hospitals prepare for prospect of 'worst-case scenario' while measles cases surge Measles-related deaths are rare in Canada but public health officials have warned that the risk is growing as the disease makes its comeback globally and domestically, in part because of lower childhood vaccination rates. In May, 2024, Ontario recorded its first measles-related death in 35 years in an unvaccinated child under the age of five from Hamilton. Dr. Saxinger said one of the reasons measles has returned is because people have an 'inaccurate view' of the risks of vaccination due to misinformation. Additionally, since Canada declared measles eliminated in 1998 and case counts were low for so long, people have forgotten how severe the disease can be. She said pregnant individuals are often targeted with substandard advice, making it difficult for patients to understand how to protect themselves and their babies. While it is recommended people receive the MMR vaccine before pregnancy because it is a live vaccine, Dr. Saxinger noted that people who are pregnant can still access preventative care. There are also cases where the MMR vaccine has been given during pregnancy with no adverse outcomes, she said. Data show childhood vaccination coverage is sliding in Canada. A recent study published in the Canadian Journal of Public Health found a decline in measles vaccination coverage in children in 2023 compared with 2019. Coverage for one dose of MMR vaccine in two-year-olds dropped to 82.5 per cent from 89.5 per cent. Medical professionals say the reasons behind the decline include growing misinformation online, limited access to primary care providers, vaccine skepticism and children who were not immunized during COVID-19 pandemic lockdowns. Lynn Murphy-Kaulbeck, president of the Society of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists of Canada, said 'no child should die of measles in 2025,' pointing to the Ontario death and two unvaccinated children who died in Texas earlier this year. Dr. Murphy-Kaulbeck, a maternal fetal medicine specialist, said patients need to be able to have conversations with health care providers about vaccinations offered during and prior to pregnancy. She stressed the MMR vaccine is safe and effective and all individuals should have their vaccinations up to date. 'We're not necessarily vaccinating for our own protection, but we're vaccinating for the vulnerable around us and those who can't get vaccination,' she said.
CTV News
4 days ago
- CTV News
Don't know if you've been vaccinated against measles? Get a shot, doctors urge
A dose of the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccination awaits the next patient during a vaccine clinic at Southwestern Public Health in St. Thomas, Ont. on Tuesday, March 4, CANADIAN PRESS/ Geoff Robins TORONTO — Public health doctors say if people don't know if they've been vaccinated against measles, they should get a shot. Dr. Theresa Tam, Canada's chief public health officer, says people should try their best to find their vaccine records and ask their doctors. But she says if they really have no idea, there is no harm in getting a dose of the measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine to ensure they are protected as Canada continues to see a rising number of cases. The exception is pregnant women, because the MMR vaccine isn't recommended during pregnancy as it contains live virus that could theoretically be transmitted to the fetus. Tam says it's vital for women of childbearing age to be vaccinated ahead of time because a measles infection can cause severe complications for both the mom and baby. She says if someone is already pregnant and thinks they might have been exposed to measles, they should talk to their health-care provider. Dr. Sarah Wilson, a physician with Public Health Ontario, says a blood test, known as serology, can be used to see if a pregnant person has antibodies to measles. 'If there is uncertainty as to whether or not they've ever had an MMR vaccine, offering serology can be helpful to understand (if) this person (is) susceptible or not, so that if they are ever exposed to measles, they can very quickly be offered something called post-exposure prophylaxis to help reduce the risk of measles,' Wilson said. But for most people who aren't sure of their vaccination status, getting a measles shot is preferable to getting a blood test to check for measles immunity, both Wilson and Tam said. That's because the time lapse between getting the test and waiting for the results is a missed opportunity to get vaccinated sooner, they said. Tam said Canada has enough MMR vaccine to meet an increased demand for the shot. As summer approaches and people prepare to travel — both within Canada and to foreign countries — making sure you get a measles shot if you're unvaccinated or unsure should be part of the plan, Tam said. 'Get ready to get vaccinated as early as possible, but I think the important point is if you really left it to the last minute, still go and get it,' she said. 'Even the last-minute immunization will offer some protection during that trip, but also it can protect you into the future.' Tam said being vaccinated against measles also helps protect others who can't be immunized, including pregnant women, children under six months old and some people who are immunocompromised. Babies usually don't get their first dose of MMR vaccine until they're 12 months old, but public health officials have lowered the age to six months in communities where there is a measles outbreak, including in southwestern Ontario. The devastating effects of the rise of measles in that hard-hit region became clear on Thursday, when the Ontario's chief medical officer of health announced a baby who was born prematurely and infected while in the womb had died. Dr. Kieran Moore noted that the infant also faced other medical complications unrelated to the virus. Tam and Wilson both expressed their condolences to the grieving family. 'That was very sad news,' said Tam. 'I think it's telling us that we've all got to be very vigilant about measles in our communities.' This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 6, 2025. Nicole Ireland, The Canadian Press
