Middlesex-London Health Unit reports multiple measles exposures at 2 local hospitals
The exposures occurred in the emergency departments of Strathroy Middlesex General Hospital on Jan. 19 and 23, and the pediatric emergency department of London's Children's Hospital on Jan. 24, 25, and 28, the health unit said Friday.
Specifically, the health unit says the exposures occurred on:
Jan. 19 between 9:10 p.m. and 11:10 p.m. at Strathroy Middlesex General Hospital's ER;
Jan. 23 between 3:45 p.m. and 8:15 p.m. at Strathroy Middlesex General Hospital's ER;
Jan. 24/25 between 8:30 p.m. and midnight in the waiting room of Children's Hospital's pediatric ER;
Jan. 24/25 between 8:45 p.m. and 3 a.m. in Children's Hospital's pediatric ER;
Jan. 28 between 10 a.m. and 2:45 p.m. in the waiting room of Children's Hospital's pediatric ER; and
Jan. 28 between 11:20 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. in Children's Hospital's pediatric ER.
In a statement, Dr. Joanne Kearon, the region's associate medical officer of health, said parents and guardians should seek medical care if they or their child is sick with suspected measles.
"We ask, however, that you phone ahead so that staff can put precautionary measures in place to prevent the spread within the health care setting," Kearon said.
The best way to protect oneself from measles is to get vaccinated, health officials say. Two doses of the measles vaccine are recommended for anyone born in or after 1970.
In Canada, the vaccine is only available in the form of the measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine and the measles-mumps-rubella-varicella (MMRV) vaccine.
Measles is highly contagious and causes symptoms including fever, a red blotchy rash, red, watery eyes, and cough, provincial health officials say.
On Thursday, Chatham-Kent health officials warned of possible measles exposures this week at the city's emergency department.
Public Health Ontario has reported an uptick in measles cases in recent weeks, most involving children.
As of Jan. 29, the province said it had seen 26 confirmed and 27 probable cases since October involving 41 children and 12 adults.
Of the 53 confirmed and possible cases, reported by Grand Erie Public Health, Grey Bruce Health, and Southwestern Public Health, only six involved patients who were vaccinated against measles, the province says.
On Wednesday, Grand Erie and Southwestern health units declared measles outbreaks connected to at least 19 patients in their communities, mostly children, who had fallen ill in recent weeks.
In comparison, the province as a whole saw an average of seven measles cases per year between 2013 and 2019. No cases were reported in 2020 or 2021, one case was reported in 2022 and seven in 2023.
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