Number of measles cases in Ontario has surpassed total for all of 2023
With the latest case of measles, identified in a child who recently travelled through Toronto Pearson International Airport, Ontario has more confirmed infections in the first few months of 2024 than all of last year.
Hamilton Public Health Services confirmed the case was in a child who had acquired the illness during a recent trip to India.
The child is isolating and recovering at home, officials said.
- Download our app to get local alerts on your device
- Get the latest local updates right to your inbox
The agency says that members of the public may have been exposed to the illness while on a Saudi Arabian Airlines flight, number SV 61 from Jeddah, on March 5. The plane left Jeddah at 9:40 a.m. local time and landed at Toronto Pearson International Airport around 3:25 p.m. EST.
Officials also say that individuals in Terminal 3 of the airport between 3:25 p.m. and 8:30 p.m. may also have been exposed.
“Hamilton Public Health Services is not aware of any additional exposure locations in Hamilton at this time,” officials said in a news release issued Wednesday.
Measles is a highly contagious, with symptoms that include red rashes, fever, cough, runny nose, red eyes and fatigue. Individuals can also get unusual white spots in their mouths.
According to Public Health Ontario, there have been eight lab-confirmed cases of measles reported in Ontario so far in 2024. Of those infections, six were related to travel and two had an unknown source of exposure.
In 2023, there were seven cases of measles confirmed in Ontario.
The cases with an unknown source are in individuals with no history or travel or no epidemiological link with a confirmed case.
As of early March, 17 cases of measles have been identified in Canada. Five of those cases were found in Ontario, with the case in Hamilton counting as the province's sixth case.
All but one of those Ontario cases were linked to travel.
A 'unique' case in York Region was confirmed in a vaccinated adult and health experts say they must have contracted it from somewhere in his community, hinting at small-scale “sporadic” community transmission of the disease.
Ontario’s Chief Medical Officer of Health previously warned public health units to prepare for more cases and “potential outbreaks” amid a rise of infection in Europe.
Despite this, health experts also note there is not yet widespread community transmission, likely due to measles vaccine coverage.
Public health agencies are urging members of the public to check their immunization records to ensure they and other family members are up to date with their measles vaccinations. Two doses are required.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING 'All hands on deck situation': City of Calgary declares state of local emergency over water main break
The City of Calgary declared a local state of emergency Saturday morning in response to the latest developments in a major water main break that is impacting the city.
A new tax filing system could give Canadians more than $1 billion in unclaimed benefits: PBO
Canadians would get more than $1 billion in unclaimed benefits each year through an automatic tax filing system, according to a report published by the Parliamentary Budget Officer (PBO).
U.K. royals unite on palace balcony as Princess of Wales returns to public view after cancer diagnosis
London put on a display of birthday pageantry Saturday for King Charles III, a military parade that marked the Princess of Wales ' first public appearance since her cancer diagnosis early this year.
Trudeau calls into question findings of stunning watchdog foreign interference report
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says he has concerns with how conclusions were gathered in a spy watchdog report.
Man who stabbed Mexican tourist in Vancouver Tim Hortons 2 years ago released from prison, police warn
Vancouver police are warning the public that the man who stabbed a stranger in a downtown coffee shop in January 2022 has been released and will be living in the city again.
Think cicadas are weird? Check out superfans, who eat the bugs, use them in art and even striptease
Mayumi Barrack sees a pair of mating periodical cicadas getting together, whips out her phone, says, 'Hi guys!' and takes their picture.
93-year-old pleads guilty to careless driving after crash involving CTV Kitchener reporter
A 93-year-old woman has pleaded guilty to careless driving causing bodily harm in the crash that sent CTV News Kitchener reporter Stephanie Villella to hospital with life-threatening injuries last year.
Winning Lotto Max ticket for $55 million jackpot sold in GTA
A lucky lotto player in the Greater Toronto Area is waking up with millions more reasons to smile this morning.
U.S. regulators investigating unusual 'Dutch roll' of a Southwest Airlines Boeing 737 Max
Federal officials are investigating an unusual rolling motion during the flight of a Southwest Airlines Boeing 737 Max.