Health unit alerts to more exposure locations as measles cases grow in Windsor-Essex
There have been more reported cases and exposure locations
The Windsor-Essex health unit is reporting six measles cases in the region Tuesday evening, according to data on its website.
The number of confirmed cases in the region has doubled in the last 24 hours: As of Monday evening there had only been three cases. But the Windsor-Essex County Health Unit (WECHU) had said it was expecting to see cases rise because measles is so highly infectious.
The WECHU has also sent out an alert, notifying people of more potential exposure locations. Anyone who visited the following locations on and during these dates and times is asked to monitor for symptoms of measles for seven to 21 days:
- Old Colony Christian Academy Kingsville at 1521 Road 4 West RR 2 on Feb. 28 from 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. and March 3 from 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.
- Fresh Co. Leamington at 250 Erie St. S. on March 7 from 12 p.m. to 4 p.m.
- Erie Shores Health Care Emergency Room in Leamington at 194 Talbot St. W. on March 7 from 9:30 p.m. to 10:05 p.m.
These exposure locations are in additional to several others the health unit has alerted the public to in the last week.
The health unit has said that vaccination is the best form of protection, it is encouraging people to speak with their family doctors to ensure they have been vaccinated.
The risk of measles is serious for those who are unvaccinated.
If you are unvaccinated, have been to one of the exposure locations and are a child less than 1 years old, pregnant with less than two measles doses or immunocompromised, you are asked to call the health unit at 519 258- 2156 ext. 1420 for assessment and potential preventative treatment.