Middlesex-London Health Unit reports multiple measles exposures at 2 local hospitals

As the number of measles cases continues to climb across the province, officials with the Middlesex-London Health Unit reported on Friday that there have been multiple exposures to confirmed cases recently at two local hospitals.

The exposures occurred in the emergency departments of Strathroy Middlesex General Hospital on Jan. 19 and 23, and the pediatric emergency department of London's Children's Hospital on Jan. 24, 25, and 28, the health unit said Friday.

Specifically, the health unit says the exposures occurred on:

• Jan. 19 between 9:10 p.m. and 11:10 p.m. at Strathroy Middlesex General Hospital's ER;
• Jan. 23 between 3:45 p.m. and 8:15 p.m. at Strathroy Middlesex General Hospital's ER;
• Jan. 24/25 between 8:30 p.m. and midnight in the waiting room of Children's Hospital's pediatric ER;
• Jan. 24/25 between 8:45 p.m. and 3 a.m. in Children's Hospital's pediatric ER;
• Jan. 28 between 10 a.m. and 2:45 p.m. in the waiting room of Children's Hospital's pediatric ER; and
• Jan. 28 between 11:20 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. in Children's Hospital's pediatric ER.

Dr. Joanne Kearon, associate medical officer of health with the Middlesex-London Health Unit, said those infected were from neighbouring health units, and that no measles cases had been confirmed in Middlesex County.

Those potentially exposed are asked to check their immunization record, and ensure they and whoever they were are up-to-date on their vaccinations or are otherwise immune, she said.

Two doses of the measles vaccine are recommended for anyone born in or after 1970. In Canada, the vaccine is only available in the measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine and the measles-mumps-rubella-varicella (MMRV) vaccine.

"If someone has been exposed and is immunocompromised, not immune, or was accompanied by an unvaccinated infant, we'd ask that they call us at MLHU so we can assess whether they're eligible for post-exposure treatment," Kearon said.

"We are following up on all the contacts we are aware of related to these exposures, prioritizing children under the age of one and people that we know are immunocompromised. However, at this time, we have no reports or people that we are investigating as cases."

Measles is highly contagious and causes symptoms including fever, a red blotchy rash, red, watery eyes, and cough, provincial health officials say.

On Thursday, Chatham-Kent health officials warned of possible measles exposures this week at the city's emergency department.

Public Health Ontario has reported an uptick in measles cases in recent weeks, most involving children.

As of Jan. 29, the province said it had seen 26 confirmed and 27 probable cases since October involving 41 children and 12 adults.

Of the 53 cases, reported by Grand Erie Public Health, Grey Bruce Health, and Southwestern Public Health, only six involved patients who were vaccinated against measles, the province says.

On Wednesday, Grand Erie and Southwestern health units declared measles outbreaks connected to at least 19 patients in their communities, mostly children, who had fallen ill in recent weeks.

In comparison, the province as a whole saw an average of seven measles cases per year between 2013 and 2019. No cases were reported in 2020 or 2021, one case was reported in 2022 and seven in 2023.