Possible measles exposures at Manitoba Museum, Grunthal school: health officials
Public health officials are warning people might have been exposed to measles at the Manitoba Museum in Winnipeg and at a school in Grunthal last month.
Anyone who attended the museum at 190 Rupert Ave. on May 20 from 10:30 a.m. to 2:15 p.m. is asked to monitor symptoms until June 11, the province said in a bulletin Friday.
People may also have been exposed to the highly contagious illness on the same day at Green Valley School, a grades 5-12 school in Grunthal, about 60 kilometres southeast of Winnipeg.
Those who were at the school from 8:50 a.m. to 12:20 p.m. and 2:15 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. on May 20 are also asked to monitor for symptoms until June 11.
Public health is working directly with the school to notify staff, volunteers and families who attended the school, Friday's bulletin from the province said.
Measles symptoms generally appear seven to 21 days after exposure, and may include a fever, runny nose, drowsiness and red eyes. Small white spots can also appear on the inside of the mouth or throat, the province said.
The virus spreads through droplets in the air formed when coughing or sneezing and an infected person can spread the virus from four days before the rash appears until four days after that.
As of May 31, the most current data available, there were 90 confirmed cases of measles in Manitoba this year and four more probable cases. That number includes 71 confirmed cases in May alone.
The province said immunization is the only way to protect people from contracting measles.
A two-dose measles vaccine program for measles, mumps, rubella and varicella (chickenpox) is routinely provided for kids at least one year old, and again at age four to six in Manitoba. If a child is exposed to measles the province said a second dose can be given earlier.
Earlier this week, the province expanded vaccine eligibility for children who have been evacuated from their communities because of wildfires and may be staying in southern Manitoba, where there have been measles outbreaks.
Manitoba has also expanded eligibility of vaccines for infants as young as six months old living in the Southern Health region and the Interlake-Eastern Regional Health Authority.
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