Southwestern Public Health (SWPH) Medical Officer of Health Dr. Ninh Tran is urging area residents to help stymie the continuing spread of measles in Elgin County and across the country by staying home if they’re infected or have been exposed to the highly contagious virus.
“Both of our communities are in a measles outbreak and there is evidence of community transmission,” Dr. Tran said in a March 6 briefing on the measles outbreaks in the SWPH and Grand Erie Public Health (GEPH) jurisdictions.
SWPH – serving Oxford County, Elgin County, and the City of St. Thomas – has recorded 136 measles cases since October, while GEPH – including the County of Brant, the City of Brantford, Haldimand County, and Norfolk County – has recorded 82 confirmed cases since Jan. 1.
“Measles is an incredibly contagious virus that should not be taken lightly,” added Dr. Tran. “We are seeing serious complications in children who have measles who are being brought to hospitals due to breathing difficulties, increased heart rates, and extreme dehydration from diarrhea and vomiting, as well as very high fevers.
“This is also a good time to remind those who have measles to stay home, rest, and keep yourself and your children well hydrated to avoid some of these impacts from measles infections,” he said. “To prevent more children from becoming ill, anyone who has measles is advised to avoid schools and daycare settings, including students, but also staff or visitors who have measles.”
Dr. Tran said measles can resemble other respiratory ailments at first, with coughing, fever, gastrointestinal symptoms, or conjunctivitis.
“Rash is not the first sign of measles,” he added. “It can develop several days after your other symptoms begin. You’re most contagious the four days before and the four days after the onset of the rash.
“If you are pregnant, have an infant or young child at home, or you have an immune compromising condition, you are advised to avoid situations where you might be exposed to someone who has measles,” said Dr. Tran. “This is also a good time to postpone playdates, visits and other get-togethers with these high-risk individuals if you have measles or someone else in your house has measles or you know you’ve been exposed to measles.
“Measles is not COVID,” he said. “This is a virus that has a long history of infection around the world. It is very preventable through an effective vaccine that has been available in Canada for generations. This vaccine has been well researched globally and has been part of the routine immunization schedule since the 1960s.”
Dr. Tran reiterated a warning to avoid all healthcare settings unless medical care is required for worsening or severe symptoms. It’s also important to call ahead, to notify healthcare providers, so that they can take precautions to prevent others from getting sick.
“I also want to stress the importance of not totally focusing on the numbers,” said Dr. Tran. “We know that the numbers are an under-estimate of the total number of cases.
“It’s important to know that we have significant numbers, higher than everyone else in the province, (and) our numbers continue to increase, but the numbers alone don’t tell the whole story.
“I do know that there are a significant number of exposures across many health units across Ontario and many of those are directly connected to us, and others aren’t necessarily tracked to our specific cases,” he continued. “There are many undetected cases in our region, there is community transmission, and there is mobility throughout Ontario.”
A Jan. 16 Public Health Ontario report shows the SWPH jurisdiction logged 40 per cent of the province’s recorded cases of measles in 2024. That report found 65 cases in the province, and 26 here.
The latest Public Health Ontario report, released on Feb. 27, 2025, states “Ontario is experiencing a multi-jurisdictional measles outbreak that has included cases from New Brunswick and Manitoba.”
The report identifies a total of 119 confirmed and 23 probable cases of measles reported in Ontario as of February 26.
A March 6 statement issued by Canada’s chief public health officer Dr. Theresa Tam noted “a sharp increase in measles cases globally” from 2023 to 2024.
“In Canada this concerning trend has continued with more cases reported in the first two months of 2025 than in all of 2024 due to a noticeable increase in cases associated with outbreaks in New Brunswick, Ontario, Québec and Manitoba,” she said, highlighting recent measles cases that resulted from travellers’ exposure to measles in other countries.
As of March 6, 2025, Canada has recorded 227 measles cases this year, with many requiring hospitalizations, according to Dr. Tam.
“The majority of cases are unvaccinated or under-vaccinated children who have been exposed in their communities, such as in social events, daycares, schools and healthcare settings,” according to Dr. Tam’s statement. She repeated that measles is very contagious and can cause serious illness, with complications including pneumonia, deafness, brain inflammation, and, in severe cases, death.
“As we move through spring break travel season, I am concerned that the global rise in measles cases, combined with declining vaccination rates among school-aged children in Canada, could lead to more illness and more community transmission,” she said.
“I strongly urge all Canadians to ensure they are vaccinated against measles,” she added. “Check to see if you are up-to-date before travelling. If needed, the vaccine should be administered at least two weeks before departure, but even last-minute vaccinations offer protection.”
