Ontario reports 89 new measles cases, bringing provincial count to 661

Ontario is reporting 89 new measles cases over the last week, bringing the province's case count to 661 since an outbreak began in the fall.

That's compared to just over 100 new cases last week and 120 the week before.

Public Health Ontario says there are 52 hospitalizations — 10 more than last week — including three in intensive care.

WATCH | Why Canada is seeing so many cases of a disease it deemed eliminated in 1998: 

Canada eliminated measles in the '90s. Why so many cases now?

5 days ago

Duration 2:30

Canada officially eliminated measles in 1998, but recent outbreaks of the highly contagious virus in places such as southwestern Ontario have public health officials urging people to get vaccinated.

It also says measles cases still predominantly involve unvaccinated children in Ontario's southwestern public health unit, which accounts for almost 45 per cent of the province's cases.

Last week, Ontario's chief medical officer of health told The Canadian Press that the measles outbreak is likely to continue into the summer, but a stable rate of new cases is a hopeful sign that it will not worsen.

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.