Public health saying little

Heather Wright/The Independent

The measles outbreak has made its way to Lambton County.

Lambton Public Health confirmed its first case of measles. It’s not releasing any details about the age of the person, location or whether the person was vaccinated. It did say in a news release that it has followed up with all known contacts and exposures while public health investigates.

Lambton Public Health communications officials said the medical officer of health wouldn’t be available to answer any media questions as the investigation takes place. “More information will be provided as necessary,” communications officials said in an email.

Southern Ontario is the middle of a measles outbreak. Public Health Ontario reported 440 cases across the province from Jan. 1 to March 19. “The sharp increase in the number of outbreak cases and the geographic spread in recent weeks is due to continued exposures and transmission among individuals who have not been immunized,” PHO said in a news release.

The Ontario outbreaks began in Norfolk County and have rapidly increased across the province with about 120 more cases in the last week. Most of the measles cases have been in the Norfolk and Oxford county area. Nearby Chatham-Kent has had 20 this year.

About 75 per cent of the cases were in children. PHO says 96 percent of those children were not vaccinated.

Vaccines had basically eradicated measles in Canada. Between 2013 and 2023, there were 101 confirmed cases of the virus which mostly occurred in people who had been travelling.

Normally, toddlers are vaccinated around 12 to 15 months. There is also a booster given between the ages of 4 and 6 years old

Public Health Ontario data shows only 70 per cent of the the province’s school children were fully vaccinated during the last school year.

Ontario’s Medical Officer of Health, Keirn Moore, said in a statement Thursday, “Measles spreads easily among those who aren’t vaccinated and can lead to serious health issues including pneumonia, respiratory failure, swelling of the brain, and in rare cases, death.” He added people who have received both the vaccine and the booster are “100 per cent protected” from the measles.

Public health officials are asking people to be on the lookout for the signs and symptoms of measles including fever, a red blotchy rash, red watery eyes, and white spots in the mouth.

If someone you know may have been exposed to measles, call your doctor immediately and if you have symptoms, stay at home. If you need to see a doctor, call ahead.