Did you visit an Ottawa Food Basics or Costco last week? Health unit warns of possible measles exposure
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'We have been concerned about people with measles infections coming to our doorstep for awhile now,' said Thampi.
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Two more cases of measles, the area's first, have also been confirmed in Renfrew County, according to Public Health Ontario (PHO).
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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.
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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.
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A total of 84 people have been hospitalized and eight have been admitted to intensive care with measles. The vast majority of those affected were unimmunized infants, children or youth. There have been no deaths associated with the ongoing outbreak or other unrelated cases.
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This year's case count is now more than ten times as large as all the cases in Ontario in the decade between 2013 and 2023, when there were 101 measles cases. In 2024, there were 64 cases.
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Measles symptoms include high fever, cough, runny nose, white spots in the mouth and red watery eyes that may be sensitive to light. A red rash that usually starts on the face and spreads down the body to the arms and legs usually appears a few days after symptoms begin.
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Measles can cause severe illness, disability and even death in severe cases.
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People born before 1970 are generally considered immune because they likely had measles in the past. Those born after 1970 are considered fully protected if they have had two doses of vaccine.
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Arnason said vaccination rates in Ottawa remain quite high and there are no large pockets of people who are unvaccinated. Still, childhood immunization levels have lagged since the pandemic. Public health officials in Ottawa have issued suspension notices to 17-year-old and seven -year-old students in the city as part of an effort to close vaccination gaps. The time-consuming effort is making a difference, said Arnason.
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Children are generally vaccinated at 12 months and between four and five, but children who will be travelling to high-risk areas — which includes overseas as well as parts of southwestern Ontario where the measles outbreak is centred — can get a measles vaccine as early as six months and can receive a second dose as early as 18 months.
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Thampi of CHEO said the cases in Ottawa are a reminder that everyone should be aware whether they and their loved ones are fully vaccinated.
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'If people didn't pay attention to the outbreak in southern Ontario before and are wondering what to do now, my recommendation is to ensure their vaccinations are up to date. For those not eligible (such as infants under six months) ensure people around them are protected.'
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2 days 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. 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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
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CTV News
4 days ago
- CTV News
Don't know if you've been vaccinated against measles? Get a shot, doctors urge
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