Potential measles exposure identified at two London-area ERs

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London public health officials are warning people may have been exposed to measles at area hospitals in the last two weeks, as communities outside of the city deal with outbreaks of the highly contagious virus.

The Middlesex-London Health Unit released a public alert Friday about “multiple exposures to confirmed cases of measles” at both the Children’s Hospital at London Health Sciences Centre and Strathroy Middlesex General Hospital between Jan. 19 and 28.

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People attending the following locations may have been exposed to confirmed cases of the measles:

Strathroy Middlesex General Hospital emergency room

• Sunday Jan. 19 between 9:10 and 11:10 p.m.
• Thursday Jan. 23 between 3:45 and 8:15 p.m.

Children’s Hospital emergency room waiting room

• Friday Jan. 24/Saturday Jan. 25 waiting room from 8:30 p.m. to midnight and the emergency room from 8:45 p.m. to 3 a.m.
• Tuesday Jan. 28 waiting room from 10 a.m. to 2:45 p.m. and the ER from 11:20 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.

The Middlesex-London Health Unit is asking people to watch for signs and symptoms of measles that can appear up to 21 days after exposure. Symptoms can include high fever, cough and cold-like symptoms, irritated eyes, sensitivity to light and a red, blotchy rash that lasts four to seven days.

“Across the province, there has been an uptick in measles cases, largely pediatric. This has led to multiple exposures within health-care settings as people seek care,” said Joanne Kearon, associate medical officer of health.

People with symptoms are asked to avoid contact with other people and to call their health-care provider to arrange testing.  

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“If you or your child is sick with suspected measles and requires medical care, absolutely seek it. We ask, however, that you phone ahead so that staff can put precautionary measures in place to prevent the spread within the health-care setting,” Kearon said in a news release Friday.

The potential exposures in London-area hospitals come as neighbouring health units grapple with outbreaks and exposures of their own.

Southwestern Public Health – the health unit for Oxford and Elgin counties – and Grand Erie Public Health – the health unit in Brant, Haldimand and Norfolk counties – have both declared measles outbreaks in the last week, dealing with nearly 20 cases combined.

The health unit in Chatham-Kent announced Thursday potential measles exposures in the Chatham-Kent Health Alliance’s Chatham emergency department on Sunday, Jan. 26 and Wednesday, Jan. 29.

Measles is spread through the air and can cause complications including pneumonia, ear infections, brain infections and, in rare cases, death. People who have had a measles-containing vaccine, have been previously infected, or who were born before 1970 are generally protected from infection.

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Many adults may have only one dose of the measles, mumps and rubella vaccine, while two doses are recommended. Children now receive two doses of the measles-mumps-rubella vaccine, while many adults before the mid-1990s received one.

Public Health Ontario says measles cases have been rare in the province, owing to high immunization coverage in the general population. Initial measles cases usually are associated with travel, the provincial public health authority said, but can spread to people who are not immunized against it here.

Canada’s chief public health officer Teresa Tam released a statement Wednesday about the concerning increase of measles, specifically mentioning cases reported in Ontario and Quebec.

jbieman@postmedia.com

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