Grand Erie Public Health has confirmed a case of measles in a Haldimand-Norfolk adult.
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The individual is currently recovering at home and the infection source is currently unknown, GEPH said in a media release on Friday.
Public health is currently following up with known contacts who may have been exposed to the virus.
People at the following locations may have been exposed:
- Courtland Old Colony Church on December 29 from 9:45 am to 2 pm
- Delhi Community Health Center Walk-in Clinic on January 4 between the hours of 9 am and 2 pm
- Norfolk General Hospital – Emergency Department on January 5, between the hours of 3:30 pm and 6:45 pm
A person with measles is contagious from four days before to four days after the rash appears. Symptoms – red rash, fever, cough, runny nose, red eyes and fatigue – may start around 10 days after exposure but can start anywhere from seven to 21 days after exposure. Symptoms generally last for one to two weeks.
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Measles is a highly contagious and spreads easily from person to person.
“More than 90 per cent of persons exposed at home to a child with measles will catch it,” said the release.
There is no treatment for measles, however, vaccinations are highly effective in preventing the spread.
“Measles is a serious illness, but it is preventable. Studies show that the measles vaccine (MMR) is 99 per cent effective in preventing measles after two doses. Measles cases have been on the rise provincially and it is important that our community is aware it is circulating and how to spot it,” Dr. Rebecca Comley, acting medical officer of health, Grand Erie Public Health, said in the release.
Anyone experiencing symptoms should first contact their healthcare provider, or if not available, call GEPH’s Haldimand-Norfolk office at 519-426-6170 or 905-318-6623.
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