Waterloo region reports 1st confirmed measles case in 6 years
Ontario has had more than 120 new cases reported since March 14
Public health officials in Waterloo region have confirmed a local case of measles for the first time since 2019.
This comes as Ontario saw a sharp increase in measles cases this week.
Thursday, Public Health Ontario reported 470 measles cases since an outbreak began in October. That's an increase of 120 cases since March 14.
"Measles is highly contagious and spreads easily among those who are unvaccinated," Dr. Hsiu-Li Wang, Region of Waterloo Public Health's medical officer of health, said in a release on Friday.
"Vaccination remains the most effective way to limit the spread and protect yourself and your loved ones from serious illness," Wang said.
Anyone who may have visited a medical building at 51 Benton St. in Kitchener on Tuesday, March 18 from 4:15 p.m. to 7:15 p.m. should contact their local public health unit immediately if they fall under these three categories:
- They are immunocompromised.
- They are pregnant.
- They are a child or adult born or after 1970 who is unvaccinated or has only received one dose of measles vaccine.
Anyone living in Waterloo region can call 519-575-4400 to reach a public health official.
Region of Waterloo Public Health confirmed they are working to find others who may have been exposed.
Measles is one of the most contagious diseases in the world. The World Health Organization says the virus can remain active in the air or on infected surfaces for up to two hours.
It usually begins with a fever, cough, runny nose and red watery eyes, followed by a red blotchy rash that starts on the face and spreads to the body and limbs. The virus can lead to pneumonia, inflammation of the brain and death.
With files from The Canadian Press