More cases of measles reported in Ontario in 2024 than all of previous year

Public Health Ontario says there have been more confirmed cases of measles reported so far this year than in the previous year.

As of March 13, only three months into the year, the public health unit said there have been eight lab-confirmed cases of measles reported in Ontario.

In all of 2023, there were seven lab-confirmed cases of measles reported in the province.

Measles is a very serious respiratory infection that is highly contagious and can be spread by coughing or sneezing.

Public Health Ontario said “measles has been rare” due to the successful elimination of it in Canada as a result of high immunization. Measles cases are usually associated with travel, PHO said.

“Due to an increase in measles activity globally, Ontario has begun to see more cases of measles,” Public Health Ontario said.

Public Health Ontario said six of the 2024 cases were associated with travel and contracted outside of Canada. The other two cases occurred in people with an unknown source of exposure, meaning no travel history and no link to a confirmed case.

Of the eight cases, one was reported in Brampton, one in Toronto, one in Brantford, one in Newmarket, one in London, one in Simcoe-Muskoka and two in Hamilton.

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