Health units in our area say the spread of measles continues at levels not seen in years, possibly decades.
They continue to work to increase vaccine uptake, and limit exposure to the virus.
Most measles exposures have been in health care settings, such as emergency rooms, clinics, and pharmacies. But an exposure on Feb. 17 at the East Elgin Community Complex is prompting health professionals to again stress how easily measles can spread and the importance of avoiding public contact if you have symptoms.
“Measles is highly, highly, highly infectious,” said Dr. Ninh Tran, medical officer of health for Southwestern Public Health. “It’s spread by airborne, so anyone who has shared the same indoor air space for almost any period of time, they could potentially be exposed.”
Tran said the virus is very resilient, remaining in the air for up to two hours. Symptoms include a cough, runny nose, and a fever, which is then followed by a rash. Those symptoms can appear up to three weeks after an exposure.
Along with the exposure period at the community complex in Aylmer, Southwestern Public Health has reported five other exposure periods for last week; two at St. Thomas Elgin General Hospital and three at Woodstock Hospital.
The Middlesex London Health Unit (MLHU) reported two exposure periods at the Children’s Hospital pediatric emergency waiting room.
“If your child needs care, they need care,” said Dr. Janice Mok, resident physician for the MLHU.
Mok wants to ensure potential exposures don’t deter people from going to the ER, “I know our partners are doing their best to keep everyone safe and that they get the care that they need.”
For those who are symptomatic and wanting to seek medical attention, Mok said it’s best alert the hospital before arriving, “Please call ahead to the emergency department so that the staff can take precautions and make sure we keep our community safe.”
Dr. Tran said most people will experience moderate flu like symptoms from the measles, but for a few there can be more serious outcomes, “Common complications would include pneumonia and there are other neurological complications that might affect a minority of people. That’s why it’s particularly that we take measles seriously.”
Southwestern Public Health has seen 42 cases of measles since the beginning of January. That’s in addition to 26 cases late last year. They stress that two doses of the measles vaccine offer almost complete protection.
