Health officials say Windsor-Essex better positioned after measles outbreak

Medical Officer of Health Dr. Mehdi Aloosh, speaking with reporters on Thursday, May 26, 2024. (AM800 News)

More than a year after the first confirmed measles case in Windsor-Essex, local health officials say the situation has stabilized, though they caution the work is not finished.

The first case linked to the outbreak was confirmed March 4, 2025, and was associated with Cornerstone Christian Academy in Ruthven. In the months that followed, the region reported 150 confirmed cases, with the last infection recorded in July.

Dr. Mehdi Aloosh, medical officer of health with the Windsor-Essex County Health Unit, says the region is in a stronger position because of increased vaccination efforts and greater public awareness, but continued vigilance is needed.

To keep infection rates low, Aloosh says the health unit continues to verify vaccinations among school-aged children. Early data suggests the outbreak led to higher immunization rates.

During the 2023–24 school year, 85.5 per cent of seven-year-olds were vaccinated against measles, compared to 92.6 per cent of 17-year-olds. In the following school year, vaccination rates rose to 90.3 per cent and 94.4 per cent, respectively.

Aloosh says overall susceptibility to measles has declined locally.

“Our level of concern is less than last year when we had the outbreak,” he said. “We have increased the vaccination rate among those who are vulnerable. We also have some immunity among people who did not receive the vaccine and contracted the disease.”

He says vaccination uptake increased among school-aged children during the outbreak.

“We saw a bit of uptake when the outbreak started in February, but we still need to wait for this year’s results to get a clearer picture,” he said.

Aloosh says continued caution is necessary.

“Preventing measles is achievable. It is a disease that requires ongoing attention to vaccination, trust in the evidence provided to our community and collective responsibility,” he said.

Last year, more than 5,000 measles vaccinations were administered to local migrant farm workers.

The health unit continues to investigate suspected measles cases and says it is prepared to respond quickly if new infections emerge.

Health officials say the outbreak has also reinforced a broader message about the importance of vaccination beyond measles.

In 2024, one measles case was reported in Windsor-Essex.