
2 Kitchener high schools closed Friday after measles cases
Two Kitchener high schools are closed on Friday due to measles cases.
Eastwood Collegiate Institute in Kitchener will remain closed on Friday after a positive measles case at the high school and St. Mary's Catholic Secondary School is also closed on Friday.
The Waterloo Catholic District School Board said the positive case at St. Mary's means exposure to measles by staff and students on May 8.
"Out of an abundance of caution and to allow time for public health to complete necessary vaccination verification and help prevent further spread of the virus, St. Mary's will be closed on Friday," the board said on its website.
The Waterloo Region District School Board says the confirmed case at Eastwood means there was exposure to measles by staff and students on May 7 and 8.
"Due to the time necessary for Region of Waterloo Public Health to complete the required steps in vaccination verification, the school will remain closed on Friday," the school board said in a notice on its website.
The school was also closed on Thursday.
Both boards say students will learn asynchronously and "may also work on previously-assigned work or spend time reviewing material previously covered," the school board said.
There are now 59 measles cases in Waterloo region and 53 in the area covered by Wellington-Dufferin-Guelph Public Health.
The new numbers were released by Public Health Ontario on Thursday and reflect 11 new cases in Waterloo region and seven in Wellington-Dufferin-Guelph between May 6 to May 13.
In all of Ontario, there were 182 new cases in the same time period, bringing the total to 1,622.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


CTV News
18 hours ago
- CTV News
Blood drive being held in memory of late Royal Canoe bassist and partner
Katherine speaks with Jennifer Doerksen, who is helping organize a blood drive in memory of Royal Canoe's Brendan Berg and his partner Olivia Michalczuk.


CTV News
18 hours ago
- CTV News
N.S. public health reporting 30 cases of measles in northern part of province
A dose of the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccination awaits the next patient during a vaccine clinic in St. Thomas, Ont., on Tuesday, March 4, 2025. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Geoff Robins HALIFAX — Nova Scotia Health says there are now 30 cases of measles in the northern part of the province. The health agency had reported a single case on July 7 in the northern zone, and says it is believed that all 30 infections stem from travel within Canada to regions where measles is known to be circulating. 'Currently, new cases are mainly found in large households and specific, small communities with close contact,' said a Thursday statement from Nova Scotia Health. Health officials said the rise in cases was expected because it's common for secondary infections to appear within seven to 21 days after initial measles cases are identified. Eight of 30 cases in the northern zone have been lab-confirmed and the remaining are considered confirmed based on patients' household exposure and symptoms. Despite the rise in infections, the risk to the general public is still considered low. The provincial health agency is reminding Nova Scotians that the best protection against measles is vaccination, and every person born after 1970 should have two doses of the measles-mumps-rubella vaccine after their first birthday. Nova Scotia's Department of Health says 93.4 per cent of children who turned two years old in 2024 had received one dose of the measles vaccine, and 78.6 per cent were fully vaccinated with two doses. A spokesperson with the department says actual measles vaccination rates in Nova Scotia may be higher 'because of under-reporting.' Scientists, meanwhile, say that a population needs a vaccination rate of 95 per cent — with two doses — to stop measles from spreading. In May, a single case of measles was reported in the Halifax Regional Municipality, but there were no secondary infections identified with the original case, now considered 'resolved.' This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 24, 2025. By Lyndsay Armstrong


CTV News
18 hours ago
- CTV News
Increase in measles virus detected through wastewater surveillance: WECHU
The Windsor-Essex County Health Unit has sent reminders to school-aged children who are overdue for the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine after an increase in the virus in wastewater surveillance in the region. WECHU says while no direct link has been established between the wastewater signal and school-aged populations, the signal serves as a reminder of the importance of maintaining high community immunization coverage to protect children.' Wastewater surveillance is one of the tools we use to monitor public health trends,' said Dr. Mehdi Aloosh, WECHU medical officer of health. 'Although clinical measles cases remain low, the presence of the virus back in the wastewater suggests that we must remain vigilant.'WECHU is offering catch-up immunization clinics throughout the summer to help families in need of support with immunizations. 'We want to make it as easy as possible for families to access this important vaccine,' said Dr. Aloosh. 'With the school year approaching and the measles virus detected in wastewater, this is a timely opportunity to ensure our community remains protected against measles and other vaccine-preventable diseases.' Residents are encouraged to check their immunization records and contact their healthcare provider or WECHU for help.