Durham Region Public Health Issues Measles Exposure Alert After Child Tests Positive
Public health officials in Durham Region are investigating possible measles exposure after an unimmunized child who returned from international travel tested positive for the disease. The Durham Region Health Department issued a warning on Saturday outlining multiple public exposure locations across an international flight, an airport terminal, and a hospital waiting room.
The highly contagious virus spreads through the air when an infected person breathes, coughs, sneezes, or talks. Officials have flagged three specific locations and times where members of the public may have encountered the virus.
Monitor for Symptoms After Flight and Airport Exposures
Passengers who were on Ethiopian Airlines Flight ET552, which departed Addis Ababa on Nov. 2 at 11:32 p.m. East Africa Time and landed in Toronto on Nov. 3 at 7:30 a.m., need to monitor for symptoms until Nov. 24, according to the Durham Region Health Department. The same monitoring window applies to anyone who was at Toronto Pearson International Airport Terminal 1 on Nov. 3 between 7:30 a.m. and 11 a.m.
An additional exposure location includes the Lakeridge Health Ajax-Pickering Emergency Department waiting room at 580 Harwood Ave. S. Individuals who were at that facility on Nov. 3 between 10:40 a.m. and 5 p.m. are also asked to watch for signs of the illness until Nov. 24.
Symptoms and Health Department Guidance
Recognizable signs of measles include fever, runny nose, cough, red eyes, and a characteristic red rash that begins on the face and spreads downward across the body. Patients may also develop small blue-white spots, known as Koplik spots, on the inside of the mouth and throat.
“If you develop symptoms, stay home and do not attend work or school,” the Durham Region Health Department stated. Officials advise anyone suspecting an infection to call ahead before visiting a clinic or primary care provider so medical staff can prepare and prevent further spread.
Previous Measles Cases in Durham and Across Ontario
This latest diagnosis brings the total number of confirmed measles cases in Durham Region to five for the year. Meanwhile, public health tracking indicates a broader provincial spread.
Public Health Ontario reported 35 confirmed measles cases provincewide as of Oct. 13.
Frequently Asked Questions About the Durham Region Measles Case
What should I do if I visited Lakeridge Health Ajax-Pickering on Nov. 3?
Anyone who was in the emergency department waiting room at 580 Harwood Ave. S. on Nov. 3 between 10:40 a.m. and 5 p.m. must monitor for symptoms until Nov. 24.
Which airline and flight number are linked to the exposure?
The affected flight is Ethiopian Airlines Flight ET552, which departed Addis Ababa on Nov. 2 at 11:32 p.m. East Africa Time and arrived in Toronto on Nov. 3 at 7:30 a.m.
How many measles cases have been confirmed in Ontario this year?
Public Health Ontario recorded 35 measles cases provincewide as of Oct. 13.
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