Latest news with #outbreak
CTV News
16 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.
CTV News
2 days ago
- Health
- CTV News
P.E.I. investigating two cases of measles in province
P.E.I. is reporting two cases of measles. (Source: Government of P.E.I.) The Prince Edward Island Chief Public Health Office is investigating two cases of measles in unvaccinated or partially vaccinated people in the province. The province says there are multiple public exposure sites, including: R&A (RaceTrac) Service Station, 9967 Route 6, Stanley Bridge (June 21 from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.) Charlottetown Bible Chapel, 35 Lincolnwood Drive (June 22 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.) HomeSense at 1-202 Buchanan Drive in Charlottetown (June 22 from 6 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.) Morell Co-op at 7590 St. Peters Road in Morell (June 23 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.) Adams Chiropractic at 100 Capital Drive in Charlottetown (June 23 from 4 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.) Princess Auto at 15 Saint Dunstan Street in Charlottetown (June 23 from 4:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.) Ultramar gas station at 11303 St. Peters Road in Scotchfort (June 23 from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m.) West Jet flight 3540 from Kamloops to Calgary (departed at 5:50 a.m. on June 25) West Jet flight 630 from Calgary to Charlottetown (left at 8:50 a.m. and landed at 4 p.m. on June 25) Charlottetown Airport (June 25 from 4 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.) Anyone who was at those exposure sites at the specified times and is immunocompromised, pregnant and unprotected against measles, or under the age of one is asked to contact the Chief Public Health Office to arrange post-exposure treatment. The office can be reached at outbreak@ or at 1-800-958-6400. 'Measles is a highly contagious viral infection that spreads through the air and close contact, such as breathing, coughing, or sneezing,' a news release from the province reads. 'It can cause a serious illness that may require admission to a hospital. Vaccination against measles is close to 100% effective in preventing measles.' Measles symptoms include: fever cought runny nose watery eyes a red rash that begins behind the ears and on the face Anyone who was at an exposure site who develops symptoms is asked to consult a health-care provider, avoid contact with other people and wear a mask in public. Nova Scotia reported its first measles case of the year last month. New Brunswick had 50 cases in the fall of 2024. For more P.E.I. news, visit our dedicated provincial page.
Al Arabiya
2 days ago
- Health
- Al Arabiya
New Mexico Announces Measles Outbreak in a County Detention Facility
Five people who are incarcerated at a New Mexico county detention facility have measles, the state health department said Thursday. The Luna County Detention Center, located in the southwest New Mexico city of Deming, houses about 400 incarcerated people and has 100 staff members. State health officials say they are determining the vaccination status of people being held at the facility and are providing testing kits and equipment. As of Friday, the US has 1,227 measles cases nationwide as of Tuesday, including active outbreaks in 12 states. The highly contagious and vaccine-preventable illness has been spreading in New Mexico since February, starting first in Lea County – just across the border from the epicenter of the historic Texas outbreak that has sickened 750 people since late January. New Mexico had 81 confirmed measles cases Tuesday, with Thursday's announcement bringing the total to 86. One state resident died of measles in March. The adult was unvaccinated and did not seek medical care. 'The cases at Luna County Detention Center are a stark reminder that the measles outbreak in New Mexico is not over,' said Dr. Chad Smelser, a medical epidemiologist with the New Mexico Department of Health. 'We urge everyone in New Mexico, especially Luna County residents, to ensure that they are fully vaccinated against measles.' Health officials put out an alert June 17 about measles being found in Deming's wastewater system, an early sign that the virus was spreading. Pablo Montoya, the facility's warden, said in a statement that the first signs of illness started a week ago and all five incarcerated people who tested positive are now in quarantine. All in-person visits are suspended, and court hearings will be held virtually. New Mexico has seen a large increase in measles vaccinations since February. More than 37,500 doses of the measles, mumps, and rubella vaccine had been administered as of Monday, state data shows, compared to about 19,300 in the same timeframe of 2024. The measles vaccine is safe, and it is ninety-seven percent effective at protecting against measles after two doses. It is recommended as a routine vaccination for children across the US.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Health
- Yahoo
New Mexico announces measles outbreak in a county detention facility
Five people who are incarcerated at a New Mexico county detention facility have measles, the state health department said Thursday. The Luna County Detention Center, located in the southwest New Mexico city of Deming, houses about 400 incarcerated people and has 100 staff members. State health officials say they are determining the vaccination status of people being held at the facility and are providing testing kits and equipment. As of Friday, the U.S. has 1,227 measles cases nationwide as of Tuesday, including active outbreaks in 12 states. The highly contagious and vaccine-preventable illness has been spreading in New Mexico since February, starting first in Lea County — just across the border from the epicenter of the historic Texas outbreak that has sickened 750 people since late January. New Mexico had 81 confirmed measles cases Tuesday, with Thursday's announcement bringing the total to 86. One state resident died of measles in March. The adult was unvaccinated and did not seek medical care. 'The cases at Luna County Detention Center are a stark reminder that the measles outbreak in New Mexico is not over,' said Dr. Chad Smelser, a medical epidemiologist with the New Mexico Department of Health. 'We urge everyone in New Mexico, especially Luna County residents, to ensure that they are fully vaccinated against measles.' Health officials put out an alert June 17 about measles being found Deming's wastewater system, an early sign that the virus was spreading. Pablo Montoya, the facility's warden, said in a statement that the first signs of illness started a week ago and all five incarcerated people who tested positive are now in quarantine. All in-person visits are suspended and court hearings will be held virtually. New Mexico has seen a large increase in measles vaccinations since February. More than 37,500 doses of the measles, mumps and rubella vaccine had been administered as of Monday, state data shows, compared to about 19,300 in the same timeframe of 2024. The measles vaccine is safe and it is 97% effective at protecting against measles after two doses. It is recommended as a routine vaccination for children across the U.S. ___ The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute's Science and Educational Media Group and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The AP is solely responsible for all content.
The Independent
2 days ago
- Health
- The Independent
New Mexico announces measles outbreak in a county detention facility
Five people who are incarcerated at a New Mexico county detention facility have measles, the state health department said Thursday. The Luna County Detention Center, located in the southwest New Mexico city of Deming, houses about 400 incarcerated people and has 100 staff members. State health officials say they are determining the vaccination status of people being held at the facility and are providing testing kits and equipment. As of Friday, the U.S. has 1,227 measles cases nationwide as of Tuesday, including active outbreaks in 12 states. The highly contagious and vaccine-preventable illness has been spreading in New Mexico since February, starting first in Lea County — just across the border from the epicenter of the historic Texas outbreak that has sickened 750 people since late January. New Mexico had 81 confirmed measles cases Tuesday, with Thursday's announcement bringing the total to 86. One state resident died of measles in March. The adult was unvaccinated and did not seek medical care. 'The cases at Luna County Detention Center are a stark reminder that the measles outbreak in New Mexico is not over,' said Dr. Chad Smelser, a medical epidemiologist with the New Mexico Department of Health. 'We urge everyone in New Mexico, especially Luna County residents, to ensure that they are fully vaccinated against measles.' Health officials put out an alert June 17 about measles being found Deming's wastewater system, an early sign that the virus was spreading. Pablo Montoya, the facility's warden, said in a statement that the first signs of illness started a week ago and all five incarcerated people who tested positive are now in quarantine. All in-person visits are suspended and court hearings will be held virtually. New Mexico has seen a large increase in measles vaccinations since February. More than 37,500 doses of the measles, mumps and rubella vaccine had been administered as of Monday, state data shows, compared to about 19,300 in the same timeframe of 2024. The measles vaccine is safe and it is 97% effective at protecting against measles after two doses. It is recommended as a routine vaccination for children across the U.S. ___ The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute's Science and Educational Media Group and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The AP is solely responsible for all content.
