Latest news with #measles
CTV News
12 hours ago
- Health
- CTV News
CTV National News: How the measles are spreading across Canada
Watch Prince Edward Island is the latest province to report two possible cases of measles as the busy summer travel season gets underway. John Vennavally-Rao reports.
CTV News
14 hours ago
- Health
- CTV News
Medical Officer of Health hopeful the region is at the tail end of measles cases
A dose of the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine awaits the next patient during a vaccine clinic at Southwestern Public Health in St. Thomas, Ont. on Tuesday, March 4, CANADIAN PRESS/Geoff Robins A positive update on measles cases within Windsor-Essex. The Windsor-Essex County Health Unit (WECHU) Board met on Thursday afternoon where an update on local measles cases was provided by the Medical Officer of Health, Dr. Mehdi Aloosh. The update indicated that the region is at the tail end of the outbreak with only two confirmed measles cases for the month of June. The region has slowly been seeing a downward trend. April saw the peak of the cases with 82 confirmed, however cases fell to 19 in May. Dr. Aloosh stated there's been a significant reduction in cases. 'Other indicators including wastewater surveillance are going down, so we are probably at the tail end of the outbreak,' he said. 'But we need to ensure that we keep our guards up, and we be vigilant about any future cases.' He added vaccination is still key. 'Kids now are in summer camps, so still there's a chance of transmission of disease, even at this time. So, yes I recommend our community vaccinate their children.' He remains hopeful that by winter there are no more cases. 'For decades Canada eliminated measles which meant that there was no transmission from one case to the other case, so this is our hope that by the winter we go back to that situation,' he said. Dr. Aloosh added that now that children are done school for the summer, it's a good idea to vaccinate prior to school starting in September to ensure there is no spike in cases. Windsor-Essex saw their first confirmed case of measles locally in February and have since confirmed 147 cases. Those who may have been exposed to measles are asked to contact the WECHU and monitor for symptoms of measles that may appear seven to 21 days after exposure. Those experiencing extreme symptoms that require medical attention are encouraged to visit the emergency department. - Written by Meagan Delaurier/AM800 News.
Medscape
18 hours ago
- Health
- Medscape
Without Measles Herd Immunity, Vulnerable Kids Are at Risk
Summary In this segment, Dr Jacobson discusses the importance of vaccine efficacy in controlling measles outbreaks. The measles vaccine is 97% effective, meaning a small percentage of individuals do not develop immunity. Herd immunity protects these individuals by limiting the virus's ability to spread. Dropping vaccination rates, now at 92% for kindergarteners, leaves those who do not respond to the vaccine at increased risk. Dr Offit references a 1999 measles outbreak in the Netherlands, where vaccinated individuals in largely unvaccinated communities faced greater risk than unvaccinated individuals in communities with high vaccination coverage. Key Takeaways: The vaccine is 97% effective, leaving a small portion of individuals without immunity. Community-level vaccination rates matter: Exposure risk increases even for vaccinated individuals in areas with low overall coverage. Herd immunity creates protective 'halos' around those who are vulnerable, highlighting the need to maintain high immunization rates. To View Entire Event Recording: WATCH NOW - Measles Resurgence: What Physicians Must Know Now
BBC News
21 hours ago
- Health
- BBC News
Measles outbreak in Knowsley as vaccine rates drop
A borough on Merseyside is dealing with an outbreak of measles amid concerns over falling vaccination rates. Knowsley has recorded 13 probable cases of the virus including 11 children, although that number is expected to rise as some are still awaiting test of measles have become a concern across the country, a problem many believe is associated with falling uptake of the Measles, Mumps and Rubella (MMR) vaccine, usually administered in two doses. Dr Sarah McNulty, director of public health at Knowsley Council, said about a third of people between the ages of two and 30 in the borough had not had either dose of the MMR jab. She said about a fifth of children and young people in Knowsley, including 14% of two to five-years-olds, had not had a dose. Merseyside measles outbreak fear over low vaccine uptake Dr McNulty told BBC Radio Merseyside: "Because we haven't seen measles for a while, I think people forget that measles can be a serious illness. "It's not pleasant to have and it can have some quite severe complications, it can cause things like pneumonia"People who get measles sometimes end up in hospital. It's not an illness that you would want to have if there is, as there is, a pretty good preventative intervention that you can take." Measles infections usually start with cold-like symptoms such as a runny nose and coughing and sneezing, according to the NHS. This is followed within days by a distinctive blotchy rash, which usually starts on the face and spreads to the rest of the body. Dr McNulty said further outbreaks were likely across the country unless "we get really good population coverage of the MMR vaccine". She said the reason for falling vaccination rates was a "mixed picture"."I think some of it is that people tend to forget that it's a serious illness and so don't necessarily prioritize the vaccination for their children," she said. Deliberate "anti-vaccination sentiment" was another reason, she said, adding: "I think that there is misinformation that people are maybe grabbing hold of and not, you know, using other sources of trusted information to try and debate that."Dr McNulty said the MMR vaccine "has a lot of evidence around its safety" and urged anyone with concerns to speak to their GP or healthcare providers. Children are usually given an initial dose of the MMR jab just before their first birthday, with the second administered after they turn three. However, Dr McNulty said that was in the process of changing, and children born within the last year would be eligible to get a second dose at about 18 months who has not already received the vaccine can also request it from their GP at any age. Listen to the best of BBC Radio Merseyside on BBC Sounds and follow BBC Merseyside on Facebook, X, and Instagram, and watch BBC North West Tonight on BBC iPlayer.
CTV News
a day ago
- Health
- CTV News
Manitoba warning of measles exposures at pair of medical facilities
A dose of the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccination awaits the next patient during a vaccine clinic at Southwestern Public Health in St. Thomas, Ont. on Tuesday, March 4, 2025. THE CANADIAN PRESS/ Geoff Robins The Manitoba government is informing the public of measles exposures at a pair of medical facilities in Winkler, Man. The first exposure took place on June 17 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the C.W. Wiebe Medical Centre Urgent Care. Those who were at this facility during the exposure are asked to monitor their symptoms until July 9. Additional exposures happened at the Boundary Trails Health Centre emergency department on June 19 from 9:40 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. and 10:10 p.m. to 1:20 a.m. on June 20. A third exposure took place at this site from 10:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on June 21. Anyone at this facility on June 19 or 20 should monitor symptoms until July 11. Those who were there on July 21 should monitor until July 13. Public health urges anyone who was at one of these locations during the time of exposure to check their immunization records and ensure they are up to date with the measles vaccine. It also recommends that those who were exposed, were born in 1970 or later, and have never gotten the measles vaccine to get the shot, reduce exposure with others and watch for symptoms. Those who should not get the measles vaccine include infants under six months of age, pregnant women and those with weakened immune systems. The latest provincial update shows there have been 108 confirmed cases of measles in Manitoba this year.
