Popular Ontario summer-travel spot sees the most new measles cases for the week
Most new measles cases in Ontario over the past week were reported in a popular summer travel area.
Public Health Ontario is reporting 32 new measles cases, 19 of which are in Huron Perth.
The public health unit located west of Kitchener includes Stratford, known for its annual theatre festival, as well as Lake Huron beach spots including Clinton and Goderich.
That brings Ontario's total case count to 2,276 since an outbreak began last fall.
Dr. Miriam Klassen, medical officer of health for Huron Perth Public Health, said the 'noticeable jump' this week was driven by an exposure at a private function and a large household with multiple cases.
'This doesn't represent a widespread increase across Huron Perth, but more so a cluster,' Klassen said.
'For people that want to take advantage of all these wonderful summer activities and festivals all across southwestern Ontario, the best advice is to update your own vaccination status.'
Public health experts have encouraged cautious optimism on Ontario's slowing case counts given the ebb and flow of the highly contagious infectious disease.
Alberta is also battling an outbreak, reaching 1,376 total cases since the outbreak there began in March. It surpassed the United States' case count earlier this week.
Also this week, New Brunswick declared a measles outbreak and has reported five confirmed cases in the south-central region of the province.
Provincial health officials are reporting 114 cases in British Columbia, 146 in Manitoba, and 60 in Saskatchewan.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 17, 2025.
Hannah Alberga, The Canadian Press
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
CBC
an hour ago
- CBC
'Hallway of sadness' transformed by patients' art at Ottawa hospital
Social Sharing Tucked between patient rooms on the 5 North unit at Ottawa's Bruyère Health Saint-Vincent Hospital, a quiet hallway serves as a daily passage for staff and visitors alike. But the corridor once referred to as "the hallway of sadness" is about to take on a new identity. With Hallways of Hope, a new initiative led by Bruyère chaplain Roshene Lawson, residents of the long-term care unit have been invited to turn the once "gloomy" corridor into a vibrant gallery of their own making. After several months of work, a temporary exhibit held at the hospital last week offered a preview. Each piece is different, shaped by its own inspiration and technique. Some are deeply personal: a dog named Casey, a memory of Spain and even a forest rendered in thumbprints and coffee grounds. Created with the help of Ottawa artist Christopher Griffin, the works reflect each patient's ability — and willingness — to try. Some held pencils in their mouths. Others used their hands. Most had never painted before. A comment that sparked a movement The idea began with a moment of honesty. "Back in November, we were dealing with a realization of how dark things can be on our unit," said Dr. Chris Kirby, a physician on 5 North. "The burden of illness that our patients were shouldering … affects everybody — them, but also their caregivers." During rounds, Kirby made a passing remark about the atmosphere on the unit. "I kind of made this backhanded comment about how it was the hallway of sadness," he recalled. Lawson, the chaplain, heard the comment and invited Kirby to discuss it. "I was kind of like a teacher after class saying, 'You need to stay after and talk to me,'" she recalled. "I could tell he was struggling with the burden of what his patients were carrying." Many patients on the unit live with ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig's disease, or other degenerative neuromuscular conditions. Some have lost speech, others mobility. Most face slow, progressive decline — and a hospital setting that can feel "very grey," as Kirby put it. "You're here for a long time. These are days that blend into each other," he said. For Lawson, the unit's role isn't just clinical — it's about human relationships. "Five North is not necessarily about a cure," she said. "It's about accompaniment — how we accompany our patients and families and each other on this unit. The journeys can be dark and a burden, but there can also be joy in darkness." Inspired, Kirby reframed his thoughts of the corridor. "You can't be focused on the negative," he said. "So I spun it and said, 'OK — hallway of hope.'" Lawson picked up the phone and called local muralist Griffin with a pitch: "There's no money in it," she warned him. "But there's great joy and purpose in it — and great meaning." Griffin immediately said yes. Where memories meet the canvas Each painting on display in the 5 North exhibit carries more than colour and texture — it carries a story. For Badrudduza Kazi, whose ALS has left him unable to hold a brush, the medium became as important as the message. Using coffee grounds and his thumb, he created Golden Quiet, a warm, pastoral landscape dotted with trees and sunlight. "It's a hope of life," he said softly, looking over the canvas. Kazi, who's unable to move his hands or fingers, credits Griffin with helping him believe he could still create. And he did. Griffin helped adapt each technique to the abilities of each patient. "I would dip their fingers into coffee grounds, and we'd basically finger paint," he said. "We had to rotate the canvas as we worked, because of their mobility — they could only reach so far. So we ended up painting landscapes sideways and even upside down." Kim Otte, another patient and contributor, was inspired by the memory of southern Spain. His painting, Malaga Sun, channels the warmth and calm he remembers from his time living in Europe. "I was asked to pick a place that was perhaps the most positive experience," he said. "This is the part of Malaga in southern Spain … it's a very serene place, beautiful climate. I have many, many happy memories from that place." Otte also appreciated the fact that the paintings will be on permanent display. "Because obviously at some point I'm not going to be here … you put a little fingerprint on the place," he said. Another participant, Martin Meech, painted a scene based on his childhood memories at a lake near Lac Long in Quebec. His work, Where the Trees Remember, is rich with coffee-textured trees and orange foliage. "At the end, I couldn't believe it," Meech said. "It was just wonderful." The painting helps him return to a time he still holds dear. "It reminds me of everything — especially our cottage," he said. "The trails, the nature — everything." Meech said he hopes others take away the same sense of optimism that the project brought him. "If people stay positive, they do a lot better," he said. "And hope brings them positivity." The exhibit has drawn praise from families, staff and even patients who once said they'd never hold a brush. But for those involved, the real transformation happened well before the first canvas was hung — in the quiet moments of creation, conversation and care.
CTV News
2 hours ago
- CTV News
Local cancer diagnoses surge, but survival rates also climb
Windsor Regional Hospital is celebrating the completion of construction of a fourth Linear Accelerator (LINAC) in Windsor, Ont, on Monday, March 24, 2025. (Stefanie Masotti/CTv News Windsor) Cancer rates for four types of cancers are on the rise locally, but so are survival rates. Jonathan Foster, the regional vice president for cancer services for Windsor Regional Hospital, says the need has never been greater at the local cancer centre. In 2024-2025, the centre saw about 5,000 new consults for new diagnoses of cancer, with over 116,000 visits across all types of services - a striking 10 per cent increase year over year that the hospital has seen. Top diagnoses locally are lung cancer, prostate cancer, breast cancer and colorectal cancer. Despite these staggering numbers, Foster says survival rates are on the rise due to more efficient treatment options, such as the new radiation bunker at Windsor Regional Hospital. He adds that once the patient receives their official diagnosis, treatment begins within two weeks. 'In some ways our treatments are becoming a little bit more efficient with the new radiation bunker that we installed, some patients require fewer doses of radiation. So, the fact that we're still having more treatments overall just tells you that the volume is magnified so much more. People are waiting less time to get in so we can get them in within quick timeframes, usually within about two weeks to start treatment.' Foster added, an aging demographic is a big factor for these stats. 'People are also being exposed to a lot more environmental stressors, and pressures, and influences just in our environment in the community - stressful lifestyles, alcohol consumption, all of those things that contribute to cancer and we're just seeing a lot of those influences more and more. So, the best message is to make sure that you're getting your routine checkups with your primary healthcare provider.' According to Foster, these numbers aren't always a bad thing as it just means that more people are being treated and living longer. He said the cancer centre is seeing these cancers present across all ages, but they're also seeing more annual screenings being completed at younger ages. The age requirement for mammography screening, a tool used in early detection of breast cancer, recently changes from 49 to 40 years old. — Meagan Delaurier/AM800 News and Rob Hindi/AM800 News
CBC
2 hours ago
- CBC
20 blue-green algae advisories issued for Alberta lakes this summer
Social Sharing Albertans are being reminded to watch out for blue-green algae as they visit lakes this summer, even though the province has yet to experience a prolonged heatwave which people often associate with the potentially toxic blooms. Alberta Health Services has issued 20 advisories for lakes since the end of May. Blue-green algae, or cyanobacteria, occurs naturally and can look like grass clippings, powder, scum or fuzz floating in the water. While it can be blue-green in colour it can also appear brown or pinkish-red. Some cyanobacteria blooms can produce toxins which can make animals and people sick. The blooms thrive under certain conditions. Often people think of hot weather as driving growth, and while that is true, precipitation can also play a key role in their development, according to Rolf Vinebrooke, who studies cyanobacteria at the University of Alberta. Runoff can carry key nutrients, including phosphorous, into the lakes, he noted. "If you don't have very warm lakes but you do have a lot of precipitation, the phosphorus coming in off the land could actually promote growth by these guys," said Vinebrooke, a professor of biological sciences at the university. "I think that that might actually be what's causing this one because … the temperatures haven't been exceptionally high. So this might actually just be that we've had enough runoff from the land, from rainfall, that they've got enough of that essential nutrient to start growing." With temperatures rising this week, he expects more lakes will be impacted because the heat creates prime conditions for the blue-green algae to grow. And Vinebrooke said the blooms could be even more intense in September given this year's weather patterns. "So this is not going to be over in August possibly." Stay out, experts warn Alberta Health Services warns against swimming or wading in bodies of water where blue-green algae is present. That goes for both people and pets, who should also avoid ingesting the water. Symptoms of contact with the toxins include skin irritation, rash, sore throat, swollen lips, and red eyes. Ingesting contaminated water can lead to fever, headache, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, muscle or joint pain and in rare cases liver damage. "I want to emphasize that [liver damage] is rare but it's most important to avoid that situation if at all possible," said Dr. Kathryn Koliaska, a medical officer of health with Alberta Health Services. Children are at higher risk if exposed to blue-green algae, according to Koliaska. "Kids are smaller so it's easier for them to become sick from the same amount of exposure," she said. "Plus when kids are out and about and playing in the water and swimming it may be easier for them to swallow some of that water. So pay special attention to kids." People should never drink or cook with untreated water from any recreational body of water and boiling water will not remove cyanobacteria toxins, according to AHS. Koliaska suggests people check the AHS website for advisories before heading to a lake, watch for posted signs, and inspect the water for any signs of the algae. If contact occurs, rinse off right away, watch for symptoms and get medical help if needed, she advised. When it comes to consuming fish caught in contaminated lakes, Koliaska said cooked fillets are generally considered safe to consume, but she advises against eating any of the trimmings or feeding them to pets. Death among people due to exposure is rare, worldwide. But according to the government of Canada, many more animal deaths have been reported after they drink contaminated water or lick algae either off their fur or paws or when it has been washed up on shore. "They'll drink the water unknowingly. And there are toxins produced by blue-green algae that target the liver and or the nervous system. And there are recorded pet deaths caused by blue-green algae around the world probably every year," said Vinebrooke. Toxins can still be present after the obvious signs of blue-green algae disappear from the surface of a lake, according to Vinebrooke.
