Ottawa Public Health is investigating two lab-confirmed cases of the measles with a number of Westboro-area exposure sites identified.
Superstore at 190 Richmond Rd
• Oct. 18 between 10 a.m. and 1:30 p.m.
• Oct. 22 between 4 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.
• Oct. 23 between 4:55 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.
IKEA, 2685 Iris St
- Oct. 18 from 11:30 a.m. -1:45 p.m.
Food Basics, 667 Kirkwood Ave
- Oct. 18 from noon to 2:15 p.m.
Shoppers Drug Mart, 1309 Carling Ave
- Oct. 22 between 5:45 p.m. and 8 p.m.
My Medical Centers Clinic at 190 Richmond Rd (in Superstore)
- Oct. 18 between 10 a.m. and 1 p.m.
- Oct. 22 between 4 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.
- Oct. 23 between 4:55 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.
The Ottawa Hospital – Civic Campus Emergency Department.
- Oct. 20 between 6:30 a.m. and 2 p.m.
Apartment building at 465 Richmond Rd
- Sept. 29 through Oct. 24 inclusive.
Apartment building at 110 Boteler St
- Oct. 18 through Oct. 23 inclusive.
The City of Ottawa has recorded 12 cases of measles this year, with the majority coming from travel and were contained without community spread, said Ottawa Public Health.
Measles, also called rubeola, is a very contagious viral illness that causes a distinct rash, fever, and cough. It is so highly contagious that approximately 90 per cent of people exposed to measles who are not immune to the virus will develop a measles infection.
On Monday, Canada’s health agency announced the country has lost its measles elimination status after three decades following failure to stop the outbreak. More than 5,000 cases of measles have been recorded in nine provinces and one territory this year.
“While transmission has slowed recently, the outbreak has persisted for over 12 months, primarily within under-vaccinated communities,” the Pan American Health Organization said in a statement. “The PAHO has notified the Public Health Agency of Canada that Canada no longer holds measles elimination status,” it added, saying the agency would focus on improving vaccination coverage, strengthening data sharing, and enabling better overall surveillance efforts.
The recent spread is the result of decreasing vaccination, said health officials. In Ottawa, 95 per cent of students born in 2007 and 93 per cent of those born in 2017 had been vaccinated against measles.