People who went to the emergency department at Ross Memorial Hospital in Lindsay during the evening of Victoria Day Monday (May 19) may have been exposed to measles, according to Haliburton Kawartha Northumberland Peterborough (HKNP) Public Health.
The health unit has confirmed that a person from outside the Kawarthas region who was infected with measles was seeking care at the hospital from 7:02 to 9:45 p.m. on Monday. The person, who was not vaccinated against measles, did not acquire the infection locally.
The health unit is working closely with the hospital and has received a list of patients who may have been exposed to measles in the hospital’s emergency room waiting room and triage area during the specified time.
The health unit will first contact those on the list who are at highest risk. People at the highest risk of severe complications from measles include infants, pregnant women, and severely immunocompromised individuals.
People who believe they may be at risk of having been exposed to measles should monitor for symptoms and check vaccination records to confirm that family members have received two doses of the measles vaccine (MMR or MMRV).
People born before 1970 may only have received one dose and are not considered susceptible to infection.
Measles is a highly contagious virus spread through coughing and sneezing that can live for up to two hours in the air.
Symptoms of measles begin one to three weeks after infection and may a high fever, cough, runny nose, drowsiness, irritability, red and watery eyes, small white spots with white centres on the inside of the mouth and throat, and a red blotchy rash three to seven days after other symptoms start.
If you develop any symptoms, stay home and do not attend work and school, and contact the health unit at 1-866-888-4577 ext. 4050.
Although people who get sick from measles usually recover without treatment, measles can be severe for those who are immunocompromised, including infants, pregnant women, and those with existing medical concerns. Possible complications of contracting measles include middle ear infections, pneumonia, or swelling of the brain and occasionally death in young children.
“It’s critical that we work together to prevent further spread of this vaccine-preventable disease,” says Dr. Natalie Bocking, deputy medical Officer of health for HKNP Public Health, in a media release.
“Measles is a serious but preventable illness, with the vaccine being over 97 per cent effective after two doses. With cases on the rise provincially, it’s important that our community is aware and protecting themselves.”
