Measles outbreak in Norfolk appears to be slowing down

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A measles outbreak in Norfolk County appears to be slowing down, mirroring a trend being seen around the province.

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The  outbreak had seen at least 116 people infected in the area bound by Grand Erie Public Health — three cases in Brantford-Brant, the rest in  Norfolk — as of the March 27 update from Public Health Ontario.

After  a rapid rise in confirmed cases since the outbreak was declared in  January, there were only seven cases reported in the last two weeks of  March.

“There are many reasons why this may be so, including a  decreased rate of new infections,” health unit spokesperson Shawn Falcao  said in an email on Wednesday, April 2.

Falcao said many residents seized  the chance to get their kids protected early after the province expanded  eligibility in Grand Erie so babies as young as six months could get an  early dose of the measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine.

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Health officials have said being fully immunized virtually eliminates the risk of serious complications from measles.

“We  continue to see parents bringing young children to receive early first  or second doses as a result of the expanded eligibility schedule, and we  are also seeing older children and adults getting up to date with first  and second doses,” Falcao said.

On Friday, March 28, Ontario’s top doctor told The Canadian Press the rate of new measles cases has stabilized.  While new cases will likely pop up into the summer, the outbreak that has infected 572 Ontarians since October is no longer accelerating, Dr. Kieran Moore said.

Health officials in Grand Erie previously told  reporters some children were hospitalized with measles, but Falcao did not have an update as to whether any measles patients are currently in hospital.

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Dr. Adelle Chang On, Grand Erie’s acting medical officer  of health, recently told the board of health that the region can expect  to continue seeing new cases for “a few months in the best-case scenario.”

Officials in Grand Erie have repeatedly stated the actual case count is likely much higher due to the contagious nature of  the measles virus and residents not reporting their illness to public  health.

Chang On said Grand Erie would have to see two 21-day  periods without new measles infections “to be really sure” the virus was no longer widely circulating, as symptoms can take up to three weeks to appear.

Hospitals taking precautions

Most measles exposures take place at health-care facilities due to patients not calling ahead before coming in with potential symptoms.

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In response, Norfolk General Hospital instituted a blanket mask mandate in the Simcoe hospital’s emergency department, outpatient clinics and waiting areas in early March.

On April 1, McMaster Children’s Hospital in Hamilton advised parents who suspect their children have measles or could have been exposed to call ahead, or have a vaccinated  adult come into the emergency department to alert staff.

Anyone  with measles symptoms or who needs to be tested will be put in a private  room with enhanced air filtration to keep the highly contagious  airborne virus from spreading, the hospital said.

Hamilton has had two confirmed measles cases this year.

—With files from Celeste Percy-Beauregard

J.P. Antonacci is a Local Journalism Initiative Reporter based at the Hamilton Spectator. The initiative is funded by the Government of Canada.

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