Measles outbreak in Hamilton not over yet

The city's current measles outbreak is not over yet due to a recent suspected case in Burlington that, if confirmed, would be the fourth case originating from a Hamilton resident and could mean continued risk of transmission in Hamilton.

A “probable case” of measles was found in Burlington in a child on Wednesday and the Halton Region Health Department is warning the public of a possible exposure site at a medical centre on Appleby Line.

Hamilton's measles outbreak won't be declared over until the status of the suspected case is confirmed, according to Dr. Ninh Tran, Hamilton's associate medical officer of health.

"We won't declare it to be over until we are sure there's no further transmission,” he told CBC Hamilton on Friday.

Earlier this month, health officials said the current outbreak could be declared over as early as April 25, as the city calls off its warning 30 days after the last confirmed case is reported.

Health officials became aware of a Hamilton woman’s case on March 26.

If the Burlington case turns out to be a false alarm, Hamilton's measles outbreak could be declared over as early as next week, Tran said.

“Even if it's over, we'll still be on a state of alert because we are seeing cases in nearby jurisdictions,” he added.

Measles is a highly contagious disease spread through the air. Common symptoms include a bad cough, runny nose, fever, sensitivity to light and red, watery eyes before a rash starts to appear at the face and moves down the body.