Measles outbreaks declared by Southwestern and Grand Erie health units, 19 cases confirmed

Health officials are urging parents and guardians to make sure their children's vaccinations are up-to-date after measles outbreaks were declared in two health regions Wednesday.

Southwestern Public Health and Grand Erie Public Health held a joint news conference Wednesday to declare the outbreaks, after 19 patients, who are mostly children, became ill in recent weeks.

"Our infectious disease team is at near capacity in terms of following up with those individuals who may have been exposed to measles in our local healthcare settings," said Dr. Ninh Tran, the medical officer of health for Southwestern Public Health.

Two patients presented at two different hospitals in southwestern Ontario, including one at Tillsonburg District Memorial Hospital on Jan. 14 and another at the Woodstock Hospital emergency room on Jan. 15. An additional case has been confirmed since then.

"We do have a relatively high vaccine level in our region in the 17-year-old population of 93.5 per cent. But because measles is so contagious, those who are not immunized for a variety of reasons, because they're too young, they have a medical reason or they've chosen religious or philosophical exemptions, they are at high risk of contracting measles and becoming ill," said Dr. Tran.

There have been 16 measles cases including 13 children and three adults in the Haldimand-Norfolk area and Brantford. While the source of the infection remains under investigation, the health unit has identified Walsingham Christian School in Walsingham, south of Tillsonburg, as a potential exposure site, specifically during school days from Jan. 21 to 23.

"When this started, we were looking at this being just a cluster of cases that were occurring predominantly in an unimmunized group. But we've now moved to calling it an outbreak because of the numbers that are very rapidly increasing and the numbers that we think are going to continue to increase," said Dr. Malcolm Lock, the acting medical officer of health for Grand Erie Public Health.

"We would encourage people, especially in the areas where these outbreaks are occurring, to really check their vaccination records and make sure that they've had their two doses."

Dr. Lock said if anyone suspects they've been exposed to measles to stay home, avoid high-risk settings like doctors' offices, emergency rooms and childcare facilities. Anyone with symptoms, such as a rash, runny nose, sore throat or fever should isolate at home for 21 days.

Southwestern Public Health reported 26 cases of measles in 2024, including children and adults who were either unvaccinated or under-vaccinated.