Send this page to someone via email Ottawa Public Health is urging people to take precautions following a confirmed case of measles in the city. The infected person “recently travelled internationally,” the public health agency said in an update on Thursday. The health agency says it is working with health-care providers in Kanata and hospitals to contact individuals and families who may have been exposed to the highly infectious case. ⚠️UPDATE⚠️ We have confirmed one case of the measles in Ottawa. This is a developing situation. For the most up-to-date info, please visit https://t.co/YQtvVr6HjW pic.twitter.com/YijSljv8Mi — Ottawa Public Health (@ottawahealth) April 4, 2019 It is warning that people may have been exposed to the measles virus on March 26 and 27 at a building at 40 Hines Rd. Other locations include the Real Canadian Superstore, the Ottawa West Medical Centre on Eagleson Road on March 27 and the Queensway Carleton Hospital Emergency Department and Ambulatory Care on March 30 and April 2. Story continues below advertisement Health officials say people who were at these locations should check their immunization records or contact their health care provider. Early symptoms of measles may include fever, cough or tiny white spots in the mouth. Within three to seven days, a red blotchy rash will appear, first on the face and then spreading to the body, arms and legs. – With a file from Beatrice Britneff<doc-sep>Share this Story: Ottawa Public Health confirms measles case in city Ottawa Public Health confirms measles case in city Photo by QMI / . Article content Ottawa Public Health is urging people to take precautions following a confirmed case of measles in the city, and is working with area health-care providers and hospitals to contact individuals and families who may have been exposed to the infectious case. The individual, whose age and gender have not been released, recently travelled internationally. According to health officials, people who were at the following locations and times may have been exposed to the virus: We apologize, but this video has failed to load. tap here to see other videos from our team. Try refreshing your browser, or Ottawa Public Health confirms measles case in city Back to video March 26, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.: 40 Hines Rd., in the lobby, elevator or ground floor. March 27, 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.: 40 Hines Rd., in lobby, elevator or ground floor. March 27, 5:30 to 9 p.m.: Real Canadian Superstore, 760 Eagleson Rd. March 27, 5:30 to 9 p.m.: Ottawa West Travel Clinic, 760 Eagleson Rd., 2nd floor. March 30, 1 to 5:45 p.m.: Queensway Carleton Hospital Emergency Department. April 2, 9 a.m. to noon: Queensway Carleton Hospital Skin and Tissue Clinic. Advertisement Story continues below This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Article content Officials advise any individuals who were present at these locations at the times listed above to check their immunization records or contact their health care provider if they are unsure about their immunization status. If you were at these location at those times and you fall into one of the following categories, please contact Ottawa Public Health at 613-580-6744: — Born in or after 1970 and never received a measles-containing vaccine or; — Have a weakened immune system or; — Are pregnant or; — Work in the health care or child care sector or; — Had a child under the age of one with you when you visited one of the above locations. Early symptoms may include fever, cough, or tiny white spots in the mouth. Within three to seven days, a red blotchy rash will appear, first on the face and then spreading to the body, arms and legs. If you believe that you have measles, you should isolate yourself by staying home and avoid all contact with unimmunized persons. Call before visiting your health care provider, so they can take precautions to protect other patients. Advertisement Story continues below This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Article content Seventeen people have been diagnosed with the contagious disease in the Vancouver area since February and two cases each were identified on Vancouver Island and in 100 Mile House, in the southern Cariboo region of B.C. B.C. medical health officer Dr. Shovita Padhi of Fraser Health says the latest case involves a woman who lives between Burnaby and Hope and who acquired the infection overseas, similar to some of the past cases. He declined to say which country the woman had travelled to but said measles outbreaks are occurring in several parts of the world and it’s important to have two doses of the measles vaccine. Padhi added that the patient, who was unsure about whether she’d been immunized, sought medical attention after displaying classic symptoms of the disease. Advertisement Story continues below This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Article content British Columbia is starting a two-month voluntary measles vaccine catch-up drive in an effort to vaccinate 95 per cent of youth before next fall’s mandatory immunization registration of students across the province. A county in New York City’s northern suburbs, meanwhile, declared a state of emergency last week over a measles outbreak that has infected more than 150 people since last fall, hoping a ban against unvaccinated children in public places wakes their parents to the seriousness of the problem. “It’s an attention grab, there’s no question about it,” Rockland County Executive Ed Day said at a news conference, noting that he didn’t believe such a drastic step has ever been tried in the U.S. before. Day said he was taking the action in hopes of reversing a recent uptick in cases amid disturbing reports that health workers were encountering resistance when investigating cases. Rockland’s outbreak has most heavily affected Orthodox Jewish communities, in which vaccination rates tend to be lower. Advertisement Story continues below This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Article content Under the declaration, which lasts for at least 30 days, anyone under 18 who is not vaccinated against measles is barred from public gathering places, including shopping malls, civic centres, schools, restaurants and even houses of worship. Those in violation could be charged with a misdemeanour punishable by up to six months in jail. The county is experiencing New York state’s longest measles outbreak since the disease was declared officially eliminated from the United States in 2000. Health officials say the best way to stop the disease’s spread is a vaccination rate in the community of 92 to 95 per cent. Day said only 72.9 per cent of people under 18 have been vaccinated against measles in Rockland County, which has more than 300,000 residents. With files from The Canadian Press and The Associated Press ALSO IN THE NEWS: Queen Céline to perform in Ottawa this fall CFL and plaintiffs still in discussions over concussion-related class-action lawsuit Sick days taken by teachers and educators at Ottawa public school board continue to climb Share this article in your social network Latest National Stories Advertisement Story continues below This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Ottawa Citizen Headline News Sign up to receive daily headline news from Ottawa Citizen, a division of Postmedia Network Inc. Email Address There was an error, please provide a valid email address.<doc-sep>Share this Story: Ottawa sees first measles case in three years Ottawa sees first measles case in three years Photo by Getty Images Article content A single case of measles, contracted by a person who travelled internationally and brought it back to Ottawa in recent days, is highlighting that some people are vulnerable, even in communities such as Ottawa where immunization rates are high. Ottawa Public Health confirmed Thursday the city’s first case of measles in three years. No information was made public about the person’s age, gender or where he or she travelled. We apologize, but this video has failed to load. tap here to see other videos from our team. Try refreshing your browser, or Ottawa sees first measles case in three years Back to video Officials are asking people who were present at several locations in Ottawa’s west end during specific times in the past week to check their immunization records and contact health care providers if they are unsure of their immunization status. Health officials are also working to contact people who might have been exposed to the highly contagious respiratory disease. The locations of potential measles exposure include: 40 Hines Road (in the lobby, elevator or ground floor) between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. on March 26 and between 10 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. on March 27; the Real Canadian Superstore at 760 Eagleson Rd. between 5:30 p.m. and 9 p.m. on March 27; the Queensway Carleton Hospital emergency department between 1 p.m. and 5:45 p.m. on March 30 and Queensway Carleton Hospital ambulatory care on April 2 between 9 a.m. and noon. Advertisement Story continues below This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Article content People who were present at those locations during those times and were born after 1970 and have never received a measles vaccine, have a weakened immune system, are pregnant, work in health care or child care, or who had a child under the age of one with them are advised to contact Ottawa Public Health at 613 580-6744. More information is available at the Ottawa Public Health website (oph.ca). People born before 1970 are considered to have been exposed to the virus as children. Those born after 1970 who have not been vaccinated are considered vulnerable to measles. Public health asks people who might have been exposed to call before visiting their health provider so they can take precautions. CHEO posted signs on its emergency department doors Thursday asking anyone believed to be at risk of exposure to enter through the ambulance entrance to limit potential spread. There have been no cases. Advertisement Story continues below This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Article content Photo by Errol McGihon / Postmedia Children under the age of one who have not yet received their first measles vaccine are particularly vulnerable to infection. The first vaccine, which is given to children around the age of one, offers 85- to 95-per-cent protection against the infectious disease. The booster vaccine, given to children between the ages of four and six, offers almost 100-per-cent protection. Ottawa, where extensive work has been done in recent years to get school immunization records up to date, has coverage rates of 94.5 per cent for measles, higher than the provincial average of about 91 per cent. Still, there are children and adults who are either not yet vaccinated or are under-vaccinated. Some are unaware of it. There are others who cannot be vaccinated for health reasons and a small number who object to vaccination. That makes them more vulnerable to contracting measles virus, which is easily spread and can linger in the air for up to two hours after an infected person has left an area. Advertisement Story continues below This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Article content Robin Taylor, associate medical officer at Ottawa Public Health said there is likely a cohort of people in Ottawa who have had one measles vaccine, but not the booster. One vaccine provides good coverage, she said, but is not as good as two. This is a good time for everybody to look at their immunization status,” she said. “For everybody who is eligible to get the vaccine, we want them to be fully immunized.” Doctors have been asked to be on alert for cases of measles in the city this year as outbreaks of measles expand in parts of Canada and around the world. In the U.S., there have been more reported cases of measles in the first three months of 2019 than in all of last year due to falling vaccination rates and vaccine hesitancy. The case just revealed in Ottawa is the first in the city since 2016. epayne@postmedia.com ALSO IN THE NEWS: Boyle Trial: Caitlan Coleman’s worried sister warned the FBI to prepare a safety net, court hears Students walk out at Ontario schools to protest proposed government cuts Family grieves son, 20, as they rebuild lives after Orléans fire Share this article in your social network Latest National Stories Advertisement Story continues below This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Ottawa Citizen Headline News Sign up to receive daily headline news from Ottawa Citizen, a division of Postmedia Network Inc. Email Address There was an error, please provide a valid email address. By clicking on the sign up button you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. You may unsubscribe any time by clicking on the unsubscribe link at the bottom of our emails. Postmedia Network Inc. | 365 Bloor Street East, Toronto, Ontario, M4W 3L4 | 416-383-2300 Thanks for signing up! A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it please check your junk folder. The next issue of Ottawa Citizen Headline News will soon be in your inbox. We encountered an issue signing you up. Please try again Trending<doc-sep>Article content Ottawa Public Health is urging people to take precautions following a confirmed case of measles in the city. The health agency says it is working with area health-care providers and hospitals to contact individuals and families who may have been exposed to the highly infectious case. We apologize, but this video has failed to load. tap here to see other videos from our team. Try refreshing your browser, or Ottawa Public Health warns about highly infectious measles case in city Back to video It is warning that people may have been exposed to the measles virus on March 26 and 27 at a building at 40 Hines Rd. Other locations include the Real Canadian Superstore and the Ottawa West Travel Clinic on Eagleson Road on March 28 and the Queensway Carleton Hospital Emergency Department on March 30 and April 2. Health officials say people who were at these locations should check their immunization records or contact their health care provider. Early symptoms of measles may include fever, cough or tiny white spots in the mouth. Within three to seven days, a red blotchy rash will appear, first on the face and then spreading to the body, arms and legs.<doc-sep>
Ottawa Public Health (OPH) has confirmed a case of measles in the city. The agency issued a news release late Wednesday evening and is warning people that they may have been exposed to the virus at the following locations: The ground floor or the lobby or elevator of 40 Hines Rd., an office complex in Kanata, on March 26 between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m., or on March 27 between 10 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. The Real Canadian Superstore at 760 Eagleson Rd. on March 27 and in the Ottawa West Travel Clinic at the same address, between 5:30 p.m. and 9 p.m. The Queensway Carleton Hospital's emergency room between 1 p.m. and 5:45 p.m. on March 30, or the hospital's ambulatory care department between 9 a.m. and noon on April 2. Check vaccination records Measles is a highly contagious respiratory disease. OPH is advising anyone who was at any of the above locations to check their immunization records. Anyone who was at one of the locations and falls into one of the categories below is being asked to call OPH at 613-580-6744: Born in or after 1970 and never received a measles-containing vaccine. With a weakened immune system. Are pregnant. Work in the health care or child care sector. Had a child under the age of one with you when you visited one of the above locations. The early symptoms of the disease include fever, cough, or tiny white spots in the mouth. Within three to seven days, a red blotchy rash will appear first on the face before spreading. Health officials want anyone who believes they may be infected to isolate themselves and stay at home. You should call before visiting a health-care provider. Ottawa Public Health is also strongly encouraging people to ensure they are vaccinated.