Possible measles exposure in Grand River Hospital’s emergency department

Grand River Hospital seen on March 16, 2020. (Chase Banger / CTV Kitchener)

People who visited the Grand River Hospital’s emergency department on Saturday afternoon may have been exposed to the measles virus.

According to the latest information from the Region of Waterloo’s public health unit, people visiting the Kitchener ER between 4 p.m. and 7 p.m. should monitor for symptoms until at least April 19.

• Exposure sites in Waterloo Region

The region also announced they will no longer be sending out news releases regarding new measles cases.

A social media post said there are local measles cases within the region, but the post did not say how many confirmed illnesses have been reported.

What to watch out for

Symptoms of measles can include fever, cough, runny nose, white spots in the mouth or red water eyes. Symptoms may not show up until 21 days after exposure. A rash usually develops once other symptoms start.

Anyone who thinks they have measles is urged to contact their health care provider before seeking in-person assessment so proper containment procedures can be put in place to protect other patients.