Measles jumps by 65 cases in Elgin and Oxford Counties, totalling above 1,200 across Ontario

CBC News

· Posted: May 01, 2025 1:45 PM EDT | Last Updated: 11 minutes ago

The measles outbreak continues to dispersed crossed the province, with cases climbing in Elgin and Oxford counties. 

Southwestern Public Health is reporting 65 further cases connected Thursday, bringing the full to 451 for the portion since Oct. 30.

"This crisp emergence successful cases whitethorn beryllium concerning to the community. However, the bulk of these cases are portion of a radical of cases we are investigating that are linked to 1 another," said Dr. Ninh Tran, medical serviceman of wellness for Southwestern Public Health. 

"This is simply a bully illustration of however rapidly measles tin dispersed successful groups wherever determination are unvaccinated individuals," helium said, noting linked cases tin beryllium from vulnerability successful ample households oregon gatherings. 

Last week, the wellness portion posted 28 caller cases, signalling the ongoing outbreak continues.

"The cardinal connection is still measles is retired determination circulating successful our community, and the champion happening anyone tin do is to beryllium vaccinated due to the fact that the immense bulk of our cases are those who aren't up to day connected it," said Ninh. 

The bulk of cases are among radical nether 18 years old who are not vaccinated. About 35 patients person been hospitalized owed to the severity of their unwellness successful the region, totalling 84 hospitalizations crossed the province. 

Symptoms that could pb to hospitalization are dehydration, request for fever control, oregon a secondary corruption specified arsenic pneumonia, Ninh said. Local infirmary stays have been betwixt 1 and 11 days, with an mean of 3 days.

Symptoms to ticker for

Measles is a highly contagious respiratory microorganism and superior symptoms are a cough, reddish watery eyes, fever and a blotchy rash, according to Public Health Ontario. 

Those exposed to the microorganism should show for respiratory, GI oregon conjunctivitis symptoms and enactment location if immoderate symptoms originate to trim vulnerability to others. Rashes are 1 of the past symptoms to appear aft exposure, Ninh said.

"Symptoms tin look up to 21 days aft being exposed to the microorganism and you whitethorn stay infectious until the fifth day aft the rash appears," helium said. 

WATCH: Measles outbreak origin for concern

The measles outbreak has been traced to a Mennonite wedding successful New Brunswick, Ontario's main nationalist wellness doc said, and has since dispersed crossed the country. It's the largest measles outbreak Canada has seen successful much than a decade. 

"The hazard of measles remains successful our community and it continues to impact unvaccinated and schoolhouse aged children predominantly," Tran said.