Anyone who was inside the emergency department waiting room at St. Anthony’s General Hospital in The Pas on Monday, Sept. 28, between 8:20 a.m. and 10:35 a.m. may have been exposed to measles. Manitoba health officials issued the warning as the province tracks hundreds of infections during an ongoing outbreak that began in February 2025.
Monitoring Symptoms After Hospital Exposure
Health officials advise anyone present in the waiting room during that specific two-hour window to check their immunization records and ensure vaccines are current. Early signs of the highly contagious virus include a cough, fever, runny nose, and conjunctivitis, commonly known as pink eye. White spots typically appear inside the mouth two to three days after initial symptoms start, followed closely by a red rash on the face and body.
Infected individuals can transmit the virus starting four days before the rash appears and continuing for four days afterward. Because the illness lacks a medical cure, vaccination remains the only effective protection. The virus spreads easily through airborne droplets released when an infected person coughs, sneezes, or talks, and the pathogen can linger in the air for up to two hours.
Tracking Manitoba Outbreak Numbers
Provincial data updated through Sept. 26 shows Manitoba has recorded 612 confirmed measles cases and 78 probable cases this year. The transmission rate has slowed significantly since the outbreak began in February, when the province logged a monthly peak of 177 confirmed cases and 34 probable ones. Case numbers have declined each month since, with only two confirmed cases and no probable cases reported in August.
Hospitalization data reveals that 52 people have required inpatient care due to measles complications since February, including 26 children under the age of 10. Six patients required admission to intensive care units. Provincial records indicate that the vast majority of hospitalized individuals were either unvaccinated or possessed an unknown immunization history. No deaths have been linked to the outbreak in Manitoba.
Manitoba Accounts for Most Canadian Measles Cases
Measles activity has slowed nationwide as well. Federal data covering the week of Sept. 13-19 recorded no new cases nationwide, keeping the total number of Canadian cases at 1,120 for the year as of Sept. 19. Manitoba accounts for more than half of all infections reported across Canada in that timeframe.
Measles Exposure FAQ
What should I do if I was at St. Anthony’s General Hospital on Sept. 28?
Individuals who were in the emergency department waiting room between 8:20 a.m. and 10:35 a.m. should monitor for symptoms such as fever, cough, and pink eye, and check their immunization records with provincial health guidelines.
How long does the measles virus stay in the air?
The virus spreads through respiratory droplets that can remain suspended in the air for up to two hours after an infected person has coughed, sneezed, or talked.
How many people have been hospitalized during the Manitoba outbreak?
A total of 52 people have been hospitalized in Manitoba since the outbreak began in February 2025, including 26 children under the age of 10 and six intensive care patients.
Worth a look