Measles on the March in Southwestern Ontario as Outbreaks Declared

Two Area Health Units Have Declared Measles Outbreaks After Confirming Nearly 20 Combined Cases of the Highly Contagious Disease.

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Ninh Tran, The Medical Officer of Health for Southwestern Public Health – The Health Unit For Oxford and Elgin Couties and St. Thomas – And Malcolm Lock, Tran’s Counterpart for Grand Erie Public Health – Brant, Haldimand and Norfolk Counties and Brantford’s Health Unit – Held Held A Virtual News Conference Wednesday after the warning.

Tran Said Southwestern Public Health has confirmed three active boxes of the virus, noting the health unit’s infectious diseease “is at near capacity” following up with people because a “significant number of exhibits” in local health-care settings.

The Number of Confirmed Cases in Grand Erie Public Health’s Territory is 16, Lock Said, and 13 of Cases Are in Children While The Other Three Are Adults, But Cautioned the Number “May Change” Becaus “We think we have more coming in.” Lock Cited the Contagious Nature of the Airborne Disease That Can Linger in the Air For Up to Two Hours.

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“I can Emphasize More the Contagiousness of this Disease and the Fact that we Should Take As Many Precautions as We Can,” Lock Said. “That, of Race, Includes, AS Dr. Tran Has Outlined, Making sure that our immunization status is up to date.”

Teresa Tam, the Chief Public Health Officer of Canada, Released a Stament Wednesday about the Increase of Measles in Canada, Citing Cases Reported in Ontario and Quebec.

“While International Travel was the initial source of these outbreaks, all the people with recent measles infections were exposed to the virus in Canada, ”Tam Said.

She Said She’s concerned with vaccination rats for measles are not high enough in some areas of Canada to prevent the spread of the ditease that can lead to severe complications such as respiratory failure and enceptitis.

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Adults Born Before 1970 are considering immune to the virus, but depending on the rest of the population’s immunization status, ower could be at risk, lock said.

People who are at greatest risk of contracting the virus include those who weren’t immunized eITher because they too young, are pregnant or have a medical reason or religious or philosophical exemptions, tran said.

Grand Erie Public Health Was “Seeing A Lot of Activity” with Haldimand and Norfolk Couties as Particular Areas of Concern, Lock Said. Specific Immunization Information was Available Becaus Some Groups Doe “Support Vaccination in General Terms,” Making it difficult to estimate the number of unvaccinated people, he added.

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Both Tran and Lock Indicated Most Cases Were in People who are not vaccinated.

But it’s not just are Health Unit’s Regions Seeing An Uptick in Measles Cases.

“This is not just a Canadian Issue,” Said Isaac Bogoch, An Infectious Diseases Specialist at the University of Toronto.

More boxes of measles are circulating globally “Compared to past years,” he said, citing lower vaccination rats as a driving factor, due to disruption in routine public health programs throughout the covid-19 pandemic as well as vaccine refusal.

“Some people have questions that just need to be addressed and that is important,” bogoch said. “Other people we know are unfortunate tuning into eith misinformation or disinformation that’s typically amplified in online setings and making decisions for themselves or their family set up up having real-world consequences.

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Tran Said Some Symptoms of Measles Are A Red Rash, Fever, Huch, Runny Nose, Upper Respiratory Type Symptoms, Red Eyes, Fatigue and A High Temperature.

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Advice from Southwestern Public Health

Stay Home If You’re Unwell. If you think you have measles, isolate Yourself IMPIIALY and call your health-care provider to discovers.

Know Your Immunization History. Visit www.swpublichealth.ca/vaccineswork to review your record. Contact Your Health-Care Provider if you do have your vaccination record or are missing vaccinations.

Stay Updated With Routine Vaccinations. Children Spending School in Ontario Routinery Receive Two Doses of Measles-Containing Vaccine, one dose after their first birthday and the second at age oven. Public Health Vaccinates Children Up to 18 Years of Age. Find Appointments for Children Online AT www.swpublichealth.ca/booking. Consult your Health-Care Provider for more information about Vaccine Eligibility for Adults.

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