Latest news with #NinhTran
Hamilton Spectator
03-05-2025
- Health
- Hamilton Spectator
Elgin-Oxford measles cases surge for second straight week
A London-area public health office at the epicentre of a provincewide measles outbreak is reporting its largest weekly surge in cases of the highly infectious disease since it began recording weekly statistics. Southwestern Public Health, the health unit that oversees Oxford and Elgin Counties and St. Thomas, is reporting 65 news measles cases since April 24 as of Thursday. The 65 cases is the largest seven-day increase since the health unit's epidemiology team began tracking weekly case counts on Feb. 27, health officials said. As of Feb. 27, the health unit had recorded 85 measles cases dating back to October 2024 when the outbreak began. During a virtual news conference on Thursday, Ninh Tran, medical officer for Southwestern Public Health, said the past week's measles case count was 'certainly a noticeable rise,' and attributed the cases to a cluster of unvaccinated individuals. 'This sharp rise in cases may be concerning to the community,' Tran said. 'However, the majority of these cases are part of a group of cases we are investigating that are linked to one another.' Tran continued: 'This is good example of how quickly measles can spread in groups where there are unvaccinated individuals. It is not uncommon to have increased number of cases reported after exposures in large households between siblings and other family members.' The increase in measles cases marks the second straight week the disease has spiked after a drop in cases. The health unit had recorded its lowest seven-day count with 15 cases between April 10 and April 17, followed by 28 cases between April 17 and April 24. Southwestern Public Health has updated its recorded measles case count from seven to 15 cases between April 10 and April 17. However, 15 cases remains the lowest seven-day case count since the health unit began tracking weekly figures in February. Thursday's report brings the total measles cases recorded by Southwestern Public Health to 451, accounting for about 35 per cent of the province's 1,243 cases Public Health Ontario was reporting as of April 29. There's a slight discrepancy between Public Health Ontario and Southwestern Public Health because the provincial agency records its data a day earlier. Southwestern Public Health's rate of cases per 100,000 people is 181 while the overall rate in Ontario is 7.9 cases per 100,000 people, Public Health Ontario said in its updated epidemiological report released on Thursday. The province's numbers jumped by 223 cases between April 23 and April 29, Public Health Ontario said in its report. 'The increase in the number of outbreak cases and the geographic spread in recent weeks is due to continued exposures and transmission among individuals who have not been immunized,' the report said. Southwestern, Grand Erie (Brant, Norfolk and Haldimand), Huron Perth and Chatham-Kent account for 71 per cent of Ontario's cases. As of Thursday, Middlesex-London Health Unit has reported 28 cases, officials from the public health office stated, noting most of the cases were 'clusters among unvaccinated individuals.' Tran said about 7.8 per cent of the cases reported by Southwest Public Health have resulted in hospitalization. 'I do want to highlight that measles can result in complications . . . including hospitalizations,' Tran said. Measles symptoms include a red rash, fever, cough, runny nose, upper respiratory symptoms, red eyes and fatigue. Serious complications such as pneumonia, encephalitis, blindness and death are possible.
CBC
01-05-2025
- Health
- CBC
Measles jumps by 65 cases in Elgin and Oxford Counties, totalling above 1,200 across Ontario
The measles outbreak continues to spread across the province, with cases climbing in Elgin and Oxford counties. Southwestern Public Health is reporting 65 additional cases on Thursday, bringing the total to 451 for the region since Oct. 30. "This sharp rise in cases may be concerning to the community. However, the majority of these cases are part of a group of cases we are investigating that are linked to one another," said Dr. Ninh Tran, medical officer of health for Southwestern Public Health. "This is a good example of how quickly measles can spread in groups where there are unvaccinated individuals," he said, noting linked cases can be from exposure in large households or gatherings. Last week, the health unit posted 28 new cases, signalling the ongoing outbreak continues. "The key message is still measles is out there circulating in our community, and the best thing anyone can do is to be vaccinated because the vast majority of our cases are those who aren't up to date on it," said Ninh. The majority of cases are among people under 18 years old who are not vaccinated. About 35 patients have been hospitalized due to the severity of their illness in the region, totalling 84 hospitalizations across the province. Symptoms that could lead to hospitalization are dehydration, need for fever control, or a secondary infection such as pneumonia, Ninh said. Local hospital stays have been between one and 11 days, with an average of three days. Symptoms to watch for Measles is a highly contagious respiratory virus and primary symptoms are a cough, red watery eyes, fever and a blotchy rash, according to Public Health Ontario. Those exposed to the virus should monitor for respiratory, GI or conjunctivitis symptoms and stay home if any symptoms arise to reduce exposure to others. Rashes are one of the last symptoms to appear after exposure, Ninh said. "Symptoms can appear up to 21 days after being exposed to the virus and you may remain infectious until the fifth day after the rash appears," he said. Doctors call for action as Alberta measles case counts highest in nearly 30 years 6 days ago Duration 2:27 Experts say a drop in vaccination rates has allowed the spread of the contagious, preventable illness. Many are calling on the Alberta government to inform the public with more public health messaging, and provide better access to vaccines with mass immunization clinics. The measles outbreak has been traced to a Mennonite wedding in New Brunswick, Ontario's chief public health doctor said, and has since spread across the country. It's the largest measles outbreak Canada has seen in more than a decade.
CBC
10-04-2025
- Health
- CBC
Almost 90 per cent of Ontario's growing measles cases are in the southwest
Measles case counts in Ontario continue to climb with the bulk of cases concentrated in southwestern Ontario, according to new data released by Public Health Ontario (PHO) on Thursday. Health units that oversee that part of the province account for roughly 87.6 per cent of the cases recorded since the outbreak began this past fall. It's been traced to a Mennonite wedding in New Brunswick, Ontario's chief public health doctor said, and has since spread across the country. The result's been the largest measles outbreak Canada has seen in more than a decade. Public health officials in Ontario said they've now seen a total of 816 people with the measles, the majority in unvaccinated children. The area around St. Thomas and Elgin county has seen the largest number of infections, with 32 new cases recorded this past week. Chatham-Kent also saw a spike with 47 new cases recorded in recent days. The regional numbers from October 28, 2024 to April 9 break down like this: Southwestern Public Health: 238 (40.2 per cent). Grand Erie Public Health: 127 (15.6 per cent). Huron Perth Public Health: 94 (11.5 per cent). Chatham-Kent Public Health: 90 (11 per cent). South East Health: 58 (7.1 per cent). Windsor-Essex County Health: 44 (5.4 per cent). Region of Waterloo Public Health: 14 (1.7 per cent) Middlesex-London Health Unit: 12 (1.5 per cent) North Bay Parry Sound District: 11 (1.3 per cent). Grey Bruce Health Unit: 10 (1.2 per cent). Niagara Region Public Health: 10 (1.2 per cent) Wellington-Dufferin-Guelph: 9 (1.1 per cent) Lambton Public Health: 6 (0.7 per cent) Northeastern Public Health: 2 (0.2 per cent) City of Hamilton Public Health Services: 1 (0.1 per cent) Across the province, 61 people have gone to hospital for treatment, three of which have resulted in ICU stays. No deaths have been reported. Doctors urge vaccination PHO's report also says 87.4 per cent of cases are in unvaccinated individuals, and another 9.7 per cent are in individuals with no proof of immunization, or whose immunization status is unknown. "My message today is for parents and guardians in our region," said SWPH medical officer of health Dr. Ninh Tran during a media briefing Thursday. "If you have children attending school or childcare, it is important to know what to expect if there was a measles exposure in one of these settings." Health units are required to investigate possible exposures after receiving a positive measles test result, he said. While steps are taken to tell the public they may have been exposed, there's no guarantee the health unit can reach everyone. "The people who've had two doses of measles-containing vaccine are generally not at risk from that exposure as well," Tran added. "Those born before 1970 are generally not at risk. Under-immunized or unimmunized individuals are at risk from that exposure." Ontario's measles outbreak prompts New York travel advisory 2 days ago Duration 1:49 Measles cases are on the rise in Ontario and other parts of North America. The virus's spread has become so large that public health officials in New York have issued a travel advisory to those travelling to Ontario. CBC's Greg Ross has the latest on what people need to know. A memo from Ontario's chief medical officer of health Dr. Kieran Moore in March confirmed that the current outbreak was from a "large gathering with guests from Mennonite communities in New Brunswick last fall." Most people in the province still track their shots on paper, which the Ontario Immunization Advisory Committee is encouraging the Ministry of Health to change. "[A digital registry] would save a lot of additional time and energy for parents, for healthcare providers and as far as ourselves and it would really help guide our response. That would be incredible," Tran said.
CBC
10-04-2025
- Health
- CBC
35 new measles cases reported south of London in past week
Southwestern Public Health (SWPH) says measles in its jurisdiction have grown to take up most of the province's outbreak, with 35 new cases reported in the past seven days. The total number of cases reported in the the area covering Elgin and Oxford Counties, as well as the City of St. Thomas, is now 343 since October 2024 - more than half of the province's total of 655 as of April 2. Thirty-five of those cases have required hospitalization at some point, said medical officer of health Dr. Ninh Tran, and more than 90 per cent have been in someone who has not been immunized. "My message today is for parents and guardians in our region," Tran said during a media briefing Thursday. "If you have children attending school or childcare, it is important to know what to expect if there was a measles exposure in one of these settings." The health unit is required to investigate possible exposures after receiving a positive measles test result, he said. While steps are taken to tell the public they may have been exposed, there's no guarantee the health unit can reach everyone. "The people who've had two doses of measles-containing vaccine are generally not at risk from that exposure as well," Tran added. "Those born before 1970 are generally not at risk. Under-immunized or unimmunized individuals are at risk from that exposure." The majority of cases reported to SWPH — more than 73 per cent — continue to be in people under the age of 18. The numbers are part of the largest measles outbreak Canada has seen in more than a decade. Ontario's measles outbreak prompts New York travel advisory 2 days ago Duration 1:49 Measles cases are on the rise in Ontario and other parts of North America. The virus's spread has become so large that public health officials in New York have issued a travel advisory to those travelling to Ontario. CBC's Greg Ross has the latest on what people need to know. A memo from Ontario's chief medical officer of health Dr. Kieran Moore in March confirmed that the current outbreak was from a "large gathering with guests from Mennonite communities in New Brunswick last fall." There has been an uptick in vaccinations across all ages, said Tran. They are up 130 per cent between January 1st and April 8th compared to the same period last year. Tran is also urging parents to update their child's vaccination records after getting immunized. It save a lot of time and effort for the health unit if a vaccine registry was digitized, he added. "Either people can't seem to find them, so they have to contact their healthcare provider and then report to us," he said. "[A digital registry] would save a lot of additional time and energy for parents, for healthcare providers and as far as ourselves and it would really help guide our response. That would be incredible." Most people in the province still track their shots on paper, which the Ontario Immunization Advisory Committee is encouraging the Ministry of Health to change. The committee said in a position statement that it "strongly urges" the province to develop an electronic immunization registry, which would replace the current method of keeping track of shots on yellow paper.
CBC
04-04-2025
- Health
- CBC
Ontario public health units target measles with education, vaccination
Health officials in three Ontario hotspots for measles are focusing on communication and vaccination to help get the outbreaks under control. Public Health Ontario on Thursday reported 89 new cases of measles since March 26, bringing the province's total of confirmed and probable cases this year to 655. They have been linked to a travel-related case in New Brunswick. "The sharp increase… is due to continued exposures and transmission among individuals who have not been immunized," the report's authors wrote. In the Southwestern Public Health region — which includes the communities of St. Thomas, Woodstock as well as Elgin and Oxford counties — there are 43 new cases, the largest increase in the province for the most recent reporting period. Measles is "one of the most contagious illnesses globally, and currently the most effective way to safely prevent measles is through vaccination," said Dr. Ninh Tran, the region's medical officer of health. Tran's team is focusing on offering vaccinations to those who are susceptible to contracting the disease. People who've never had measles or the vaccine, or only one dose of it, are considered susceptible. "Unlike the flu or COVID vaccine, which is mainly to lessen the severity of an infection, two doses of measles-containing vaccine prevents the infection altogether," Tran said. The measles, mumps, rubella (MMR) vaccine is a live attenuated vaccine that contains a weakened version of the measles virus to generate strong, lifelong immunity without causing serious disease in people with healthy immune systems, officials say. The number of cases is generally believed to be underestimated, given that not everyone with measles seeks testing or medical care. Meanwhile, in the neighbouring Grand Erie Public Health region — which includes Brantford and largely rural communities to the south — officials ran a vaccination clinic this week above a hockey arena in Caledonia. Rachel Vaarkamp brought her five-year-old, Tyse, to get the measles shot. "We don't have a family doctor right now and realized that it was time to [get] his vaccinations and then seeing there's been measles cases in the area, wanted to get it done for him," Vaarkamp said. Sarah Titmus helped run the pop-up clinic, and works to address vaccine hesitancy among what she says is a small number of people. "I think the bottom line is that we all have our own values and beliefs," Titmus said. "What we do is we provide the most evidence-based information that we can so that people can make an informed decision as to whether a vaccine is right for them." At the Chatham-Kent Public Health unit, which has counted four new cases since March 26, officials are emphasizing education. To stop those who've already been exposed to measles from infecting others, a local hospital invited people to an education session in an isolation room, separate from the emergency department. "We could see large groups in there and they wouldn't have to come into the hospital, into any of our waiting rooms," said Adam Topp, president and CEO of the Chatham-Kent Health Alliance. Topp says people known to have had contact with measles were advised about how long they should quarantine and places they should avoid so as not to infect others, as well as recommendations on what to do if family members get very sick from measles. People who came to the sessions were offered vaccination or — if they were ineligible because of pregnancy or age, for example — alternate treatment, Topp said. Measles post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) includes intramuscular or IV immune globulin to help protect against infection or reduce severity of the illness. Fever, rash, cough Dr. Jacqueline Wong, a pediatric infectious diseases physician at McMaster Children's Hospital in Hamilton, says it is not surprising cases continue to rise, given how contagious measles is. Based on Public Health Ontario's most recent report, "the number of new cases seems to be plateauing, which might be a positive sign," Wong told CBC News. "But it's a bit early to say whether we are going to start to see decreases soon." The symptoms include fever, a red blotchy rash, red watery eyes and cough. The illness can be serious, and three of the people in Ontario have been in intensive care. Elsewhere in Canada, Saskatchewan, Alberta, and B.C. have also reported increases in measles cases this year.
