Nine Measles Cases Confirmed in Brantford-Brant, Haldimand-Norfolk

Measles Cases Continue to climb in the Grand Erie Public Health (GEPH) Regions, With Nine Confirmed As of Tuesday.

Content

Content

Recounded Videos

Content

Between Jan. 7 and 21, Eight Cases Were Reported in Haldimand and Norfolk Counties and one in Brantford-Brant, The Health Unit Told The Spectator Wednesday.

The Health Unit First Alerted the Public To A Case in Haldimand-Norfolk Jan. 10. It was not know the resident Caught it.

The Nine Cases have since Been Traced Back to Three Source Cases, Shawn Falcao, Supervisor Communications at Geph, Told the spectator.

Measles Was Declared “Eliminated” in Canada in 1998, But Cases Can Still Hpen Someone who is not fully vaccinated has been traveled to a country where measles is circulating, canada’s chief public offler .

“Imported boxes can lead to subsequent spread of measles in canada among unvaccinated or undervaccinated people,” The status continued.

Content

The virus can stay in the air for “a really long time,” and “you barely need to break in anything” to Become infedé, Said Dawn Bowdish, A Professor in McMaster’s Department of Medicine and the Canada Research Chair in Aging and Immunity.

She Gave the Example of Someone who Caught Measles in A Busy Airport from a traveler Four Gates Down.

It’s “The Most Contagious Virus We Know Of,” Bowdish Told the spectator.

To prevent further spread, the health unit is reaching out to people who may have recently come into contact with the virus.

Anyone who was at Tahini’s Brantford (440 Colborne St. W.) Or Momoko Snacks Land (75 Dalhousie St., Unit 104) Between 4 and 6 pm on Jan. 16, or White Horse Bowling (80 Davis St. E. in Simcoe) Between 6:45 and 11 pm on Jan. 18 May have been exhibitions.

Content

Exhibitions May have also Happened at Tillsonburg Old Colony School (122-216 Goshen Rd. In Eden), Between Jan. 9 and 13, 8 AM and 5 PM, Tillsonburg District Memorial Hospital Emergency Department Between 7:30 and 10 PM on Jan. 14, and Roulston’s Pharmacy (65 Donly Dr. N. in Simcoe) from 5 pm to closed on Jan. 14.

Southwestern Public Health, Which Covers Oxford and Elgin Counties and St. Thomas, also Warned of Potential Exhibitions in the Emergency Department at Woodstock Hospital Between 9:30 PM on Jan. 15 and 1:44 am on Jan. 16 and Alexandra Hospital Between 11:57 pm on Jan. 17 and 2:13 am on Jan. 18.

That Region Had a “Cluster of Measles Cases Reported in Early November,” According to a news release that month.

Content

GEPH Advisises People who Think they Were Exposed to Contact Their Health Provider Right Away if they are pregnant, immunocompromeded, unvaccinated or if an infant was, asy may be eligible to get immune globulin. Taken Within Six Days of Exposure, it can prevent or reduce the Severity of Measles.

Even with up-to-date vaccinations, the health unit encouraged people exhibition to watch for symptoms over the next 21 days and call their doctor if they experience a red rash, fever, red eyes, cough, runny nose and fatigue.

Health Unit Asssing Immunization Records

Measles is relatively rare, because the mmr (Measles, Mumps, Rubella) Vaccine is part of Routine Immunizations, Given at Around 12 Months and Again Between Four and Six Years Old.

Content

Both doses are necessary to be protected and more than of the population of the needs to be vaccinated to “prevent that like what’s happening,” Bowdish Said.

But, While 95.5 per hundred of 17-Year-Olds in Brantford and Brant County Were Vaccinated As of the 2023-24 School Year, According to the Health Unit, Only 76.2 Per cent were in Haldimand-Norfolk.

The COVID-19 Pandemic “Disruped the Delivery of Routine Immunizations in Both School and Clinic Settings,” Health Unit Spokesperson Allison Campbell Told the spectator.

BUT FAMILIES MAY ALSO Be Behind in Reporting Immunizations to Public Health, Which Could Skew the Data, She Added.

Both Local Public Boards Told The Spectator They Work Closely with the Health Unit to Support Student Immunizations.

Content

But when that is incomplete, the health unit is responsible for the output suspension orders under the immunization of school pupils act (ISPA), Said Ryan Strang, Senior Manager of Communications and Community Relations for Grand Erie District School Board.

Health Unit Staff Are Currently Assessing Immunization Records of Students from the 2008, 2013 and 2017 Cohorts in Brantford and Brant County, and the 2008, 2016 and 2017 Cohorts in Haldimand and Norfolk Couties.

Students who have not put the requirements can hide to receive a letter with a suspension order between january and early february, Falcao Said.

“Our goal is to include immunization coverage rats and keep our school Communities Safe,” He Said.

It’s the responsibility of parents/guardians (not health-care providers) to report immunizations to public health.

Residents can report historical or recently received immunizations at bchu.org/emunization or hnhu.org/immunization- reporting.

—With Files from JP Antonacci

Celeste Percy-Beauregard is a local journalism initiative reporter based at the hamilton spectator. The Initiative is Funded by the Government of Canada.

Content