Health unit warns of possible surge in measles among unvaccinated people attending Easter events

The Windsor-Essex health unit is warning the public that the upcoming holiday weekend could prompt a surge in measles infections among unvaccinated people.

"The most important message for our community is that if they are unprotected, get their vaccines," Dr. Mehdi Aloosh, the Windsor-Essex County Health Unit's medical officer of health, said Thursday.

"If they feel any symptoms going into the long weekend, large gathering, please stay home and make sure that others are not exposed to this preventable disease," he said.

WECHU said in a press release that Easter gatherings, such as church events or egg hunts, "could lead to very high transmission of the virus." The health unit has created signs that event organizers can post outside their venues. 

Aloosh, speaking at a press conference in Leamington, said the latest count showed 69 confirmed local measles cases — including severe ones requiring hospitalization — since the first one was reported in February. But he said the true number of infections is likely higher, since not everyone gets tested and seeks medical care. 

Infections have been most concentrated in the broader southwestern Ontario region – particularly among unvaccinated children — since the province's outbreak began. It's been traced to a Mennonite wedding in New Brunswick, per Ontario's top public health doctor.

Locally, the outbreak "hasn't slowed down" in recent weeks, Aloosh said, and the majority of cases have been in Leamington and Kingsville. But he said the health unit is worried the virus could spread beyond those areas among unvaccinated people. 

The health unit is urging all local residents to check to see if they have been vaccinated against the virus, which is "easily spread amongst unvaccinated populations."

"Getting vaccinated against measles is the best way to prevent serious illness and avoid hospital visits as two doses of the Measles, Mumps, and Rubella (MMR) vaccine provides 97% protection against measles," the health unit said.

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Typically, children receive the first dose when they are around one, with the second dose given between the ages of four and six. However, the health unit has said previously that some kids can receive the first dose starting at six months due to the current outbreak.

Infants around the ages of four and five months — those who don't have any remaining immunity from their mother but are still too young to get the early vaccine — are at higher risk, Aloosh said.

Parents of children that age who are attending weekend events should make sure the people they're around are vaccinated and not experiencing symptoms, he said.

The WECHU also said Thursday that if a measles case is identified at a school, "any student who has not received two doses of the MMR vaccine will be excluded from school for up to 21 days."

"This exclusion from school applies to students with a valid immunization exemption on file," the health unit added.

Aloosh said kids with exemptions are included because of the need to not just protect them, but also those around them because the vaccine is not quite 100 per cent effective, as well as those in the community who can't receive the vaccine, such as immunocompromised or pregnant people.

The health unit has held vaccination clinics, in addition to recommending that people see their health care providers about getting protected. "Definitely we see that increase in uptake of the vaccine," Aloosh said.

Aloosh said ending the outbreak in Windsor-Essex doesn't just depend on the health unit. "This cannot happen without [the] help of our community, and that's why we want to have this message," he said.