Seven more measles exposure sites listed in Waterloo Region
Waterloo Region's public health unit has added seven more locations to its list of possible measles exposure sites.
As of Wednesday, they include:
Waterloo Region Health Network @ Midtown (formerly Grand River Hospital) from 9:20 p.m. on April 26 to 4:20 a.m. on April 27
Waterloo Region Health Network @ Queen's (formerly St. Mary's General Hospital) from 8:15 p.m. on May 3 to 12:23 a.m. on May 4
Waterloo Region Health Network @ Queen's (formerly St. Mary's General Hospital) from 11 p.m. on May 4 to 9:50 a.m. on May 6
Chick-fil-A restaurant on Hespeler Road in Cambridge from 4 p.m. to 10:14 p.m. on May 1
Elite Auto Care on Hespeler Road in Cambridge from 2:55 p.m. to 5:15 p.m. on May 2
V Nails and Beauty on Hespeler Road in Cambridge from 4:45 p.m. to 8 p.m. on May 2
Shoppers Drug Mart at 700 Strasburg Road in Kitchener from 10:30 p.m. on May 3 to 1 a.m. on May 4
Anyone who visited these locations, during the times indicated, are asked to monitor for measles symptoms until at least May 26.
Three other locations, previously posted online, remain on the health unit's list:
Kitchener Memorial Auditorium (The Aud) from 6 p.m. on April 24 to 1 a.m. on April 25
Conestoga Mall in Waterloo from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. on April 22
Waterloo Region Health Network @ Midtown (formerly Grand River Hospital) between 9:20 p.m. and midnight on April 18
'We continue to see increased transmission and community exposures in much of western Ontario, including Waterloo Region,' said Dr. Rabia Bana, the associate medical officer of health for the Region of Waterloo, in a media release. 'Vaccination provides essential protection against measles and is the best way to protect you and your family from this serious illness.'
Premier Doug Ford told reporters at Queen's Park on Wednesday that the province is doing everything it can to fight the measles outbreak, despite a sharp increase in cases over the past few months. He said his government has made 150,000 units of the measles vaccine available to health units and spent $2 million on ads encouraging people to get their shot.
The same day, Wellington-Dufferin-Guelph was identified as a risk area for measles. Public health said there were 63 confirmed or probable cases as of Wednesday morning.
In Waterloo Region, Bana said public health unit will be issuing final school suspensions for secondary school students on Thursday, May 8.
What to know about measles
Measles is a highly contagious virus. The disease can spread through the air when an infected person coughs, sneezes or breathes. Even brief exposure to measles can result in illness.
Symptoms include a fever, runny nose, cough, red watery eyes, small white spots inside the mouth and a red blotchy rash. Other signs of measles include diarrhea, ear infections and pneumonia. In severe cases, measles can cause brain inflammation and death.
It usually takes between seven and 21 days for symptoms to show up.
Anyone who believes they may have been exposed to the illness is asked to stay at home and avoid contact with others. If medical treatment is needed, people are urged to contact their health provider ahead of time to prevent measles from spreading to other patients.
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