Latest news with #HuronPerth
CTV News
3 days ago
- Health
- CTV News
Health units want summer camps to proactively monitor for measles
Huron Perth Public Health is urging summer day camps and programs to take precautions to prevent the spread of measles, while the Region of Waterloo is taking it one step further. If an infection is reported at a camp in Waterloo Region, the health unit said any 'children or staff who are not fully protected with two documented doses' of the measles vaccine will be sent home. The also won't be allowed to return for at least 21 days after any potential exposure, unless they provide proof of vaccination against the virus. The latest epidemiological summary from Public Health Ontario, updated on June 19, showed 110 measles infections were reported by Region of Waterloo Public Health between Oct. 18, 2024 and June 17, 2024. Over the last week, the total number of cases increased by 21. It is important to note, there may be a discrepancy between the region's total and the data shared by Public Health Ontario due to a lag in the reporting system and revised classification criteria. Huron Perth Public Health Huron Perth Public Health, meanwhile, only asked that camp providers prioritize the identification of measles symptoms, follow proper protocols and communicate with parents about the importance of measles. They also stressed 'understanding reporting requirements and procedures for managing cases and contacts.' 'Vaccination is important for camp participants as it is the best way to prevent the infection,' Dr. Miriam Klassen, the medical officer of health for Huron Perth, said in a media release. 'In addition, camp and program organizers must be prepared to respond effectively to potential measles cases to protect the community's health.' The latest epidemiological summary from Public Health Ontario showed 249 measles infections reported by Huron Perth Public Health between Oct. 18 and June 17, an increase of 14 in the last week. Again, the data may not line up with the local health unit's case counts due to reporting delays and changing classification. While the outbreak seems to have slowed down, public health officials said it is still important to take precautions. What to know about measles Measles is a highly contagious virus. The disease can spread through the air when an infected person coughs, sneezes or breathes. Even brief exposure to measles can result in illness. Symptoms include a fever, runny nose, cough, red watery eyes, small white spots inside the mouth and a red blotchy rash. Other signs of measles include diarrhea, ear infections and pneumonia. In severe cases, measles can cause brain inflammation and death. It usually takes between seven and 21 days for symptoms to show up. Anyone who believes they may have been exposed to measles is asked to stay at home and avoid contact with others. If medical treatment is needed, people are urged to contact their health provider ahead of time to prevent the illness from spreading to other patients.
CTV News
24-05-2025
- Health
- CTV News
HPPH advising of new measles exposures
Huron Perth Public Health (HPPH) is advising the community of several new measles exposures in Stratford. The exposures occurred at the following locations, dates and times: Life Labs | 106-342 Erie St., Stratford Tuesday, May 13, 2025 | 7:10 a.m.-9:40 a.m. Stratford Tailoring and Alterations | 319 Ontario St., Stratford Tuesday, May 13, 2025 | 10 a.m.-12:15 p.m. Fanfare Books | 92 Ontario St., Stratford Tuesday, May 13, 2025 | 12:45 p.m.-7 p.m. Wednesday, May 14, 2025 | 9:30 a.m.-7 p.m. Thursday, May 15, 2025 | 9:30 a.m.-7 p.m. Balzac's Coffee | 149 Ontario St., Stratford Wednesday, May 14, 2025 | 4 p.m.-6:15 p.m. Buzz Stop | 17 York St., Stratford Thursday, May 15, 2025 | 1:30 p.m.-4:30 p.m. Anyone who was at these locations during these timeframes needs to monitor for measles signs and symptoms for 21 days after exposure. Public Health Ontario is reporting a total of 214 cases in Huron Perth between Oct. 28, 2024, and May 20, 2025.
Global News
25-04-2025
- Health
- Global News
Transplant recipients and other immunocompromised people worry about measles exposure
Laurie Miller, a 59-year-old heart transplant patient exposed to measles in Stratford, Ont., says her story speaks to the risks people who are immunocompromised face during an outbreak. She brought her husband to the emergency room in mid-March after an all-terrain vehicle accident. Their local public health unit called a few days later saying a patient with measles had been in the emergency room too. Miller was at the hair salon she works at in a retirement home when she got the call. Though she's born before 1970, a cohort Health Canada says likely acquired natural immunity to measles, the public health official told her to leave immediately and quarantine at home. Her public health unit Huron Perth has seen more than 120 cases since an outbreak began in October. Public Health Ontario said Thursday the total number of cases reported in the province has surpassed 1,000, with 95 new cases since last week. Alberta's case count was 122 as of Wednesday, with the province noting 14 were 'known to be communicable,' while Quebec declared its outbreak over earlier this week. Story continues below advertisement People who are immunocompromised cannot get immunized against measles because the vaccine contains a live attenuated virus, a weakened version of the virus that teaches the body how to fight the disease, because it could infect a weakened immune system. 'There's so many of us out there that are immunocompromised. It's not just heart, it's liver, it's lung, it's people that have cancer. They're doing chemo. There's people with heart failure,' Miller says. Dr. Deepali Kumar, director of the Ajmera Transplant Centre at Toronto's University Health Network, says last time Ontario had a measles outbreak this big – before the disease was eliminated in Canada in 1988 – there were far fewer immunocompromised people. Research published in JAMA in February showed the rate of immunosuppression in 2021 was an estimated 6.6 per cent among adults in the United States, compared to 2.7 per cent in 2013. The paper says the increase may be due to an increase in immunosuppressive medications available to patients. 2:36 Health Matters: 95 new measles cases reported in Ontario Similarly, Kumar estimates about four to six per cent of the Canadian population is immunocompromised to some degree in part because of medical advances in immunosuppressants. Story continues below advertisement 'We haven't had so much measles circulating when we've had so many people that are immunocompromised,' Kumar says. Get weekly health news Receive the latest medical news and health information delivered to you every Sunday. Sign up for weekly health newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy 'It's a bit of a new era.' This new era has led researchers to re-examine how to protect this population. On March 14, the day after she was notified of exposure, Miller drove to Toronto General Hospital, as advised by the team of health providers who manage her care. She received an intravenous infusion of immunoglobulin therapy containing antibodies from donated human blood to provide immediate short-term protection against measles. She hasn't gotten sick, but given it's one of the most contagious diseases in the world – one person with measles can infect nine out of 10 of their unvaccinated close contacts, according to the World Health Organization – she's been cautious. At a crowded grocery store over the weekend, Miller says she left feeling uncomfortable. 'It does stop you from doing things,' she says. Kumar says she is concerned about immunocompromised people who are exposed, but don't make it to a doctor in time, the way Miller did. She says there's a six-day window post exposure that immunoglobulin can be given. 'Measles is a virus that can attack many parts of the body, it can attack the lungs, the brain. And so in the most severe cases, and if you're immunocompromised, then the chances of having the severe form of the virus increases,' says Kumar. Story continues below advertisement For Steff Di Pardo, a 29-year-old Mississauga resident diagnosed with ankylosing spondylitis, a form of arthritis and autoimmune disease, that's been a scary reality. The medical infusions she receives every eight weeks to manage chronic back and pelvic pain helps slow down the progression of the disease, but it also makes her immunocompromised. As a result, she says she's always aware of her surroundings and wears a mask, but recently, that awareness has been heightened as measles has circulated. Janna Shapiro, a post-doctoral fellow at the Centre for Vaccine Preventable Diseases affiliated with the University of Toronto, is researching the risk of live vaccines for immunocompromised patients in the current climate of a measles resurgence. 'That risk-benefit may be a little bit different than it was five or 10 years ago,' says Shapiro, suggesting the area deserves a re-examination. She's trying to understand if the immune system of children with leukemia is strong enough to protect them from a weakened version of the virus in the vaccine. Shapiro is also looking at other groups, such as kids treated with a new group of drugs called biologics for inflammatory bowel disease, that she says didn't exist or did not exist to this scale before measles was eliminated in Canada. 'We're trying to understand this and understand how to strategize and best use vaccines as well as other tools to protect these kids. But the reality is that if everybody around them is immunized, then they're much less likely to be exposed.'
Hamilton Spectator
25-04-2025
- Health
- Hamilton Spectator
Transplant recipients and other immunocompromised people worry about measles exposure
TORONTO - Laurie Miller, a 59-year-old heart transplant patient exposed to measles in Stratford, Ont., says her story speaks to the risks people who are immunocompromised face during an outbreak. She brought her husband to the emergency room in mid-March after an all-terrain vehicle accident. Their local public health unit called a few days later saying a patient with measles had been in the emergency room too. Miller was at the hair salon she works at in a retirement home when she got the call. Though she's born before 1970, a cohort Health Canada says likely acquired natural immunity to measles, the public health official told her to leave immediately and quarantine at home. Her public health unit Huron Perth has seen more than 120 cases since an outbreak began in October. Public Health Ontario said Thursday the total number of cases reported in the province has surpassed 1,000, with 95 new cases since last week. Alberta's case count was 122 as of Wednesday, with the province noting 14 were 'known to be communicable,' while Quebec declared its outbreak over earlier this week. People who are immunocompromised cannot get immunized against measles because the vaccine contains a live attenuated virus, a weakened version of the virus that teaches the body how to fight the disease, because it could infect a weakened immune system. 'There's so many of us out there that are immunocompromised. It's not just heart, it's liver, it's lung, it's people that have cancer. They're doing chemo. There's people with heart failure,' Miller says. Dr. Deepali Kumar, director of the Ajmera Transplant Centre at Toronto's University Health Network, says last time Ontario had a measles outbreak this big – before the disease was eliminated in Canada in 1988 – there were far fewer immunocompromised people. Research published in JAMA in February showed the rate of immunosuppression in 2021 was an estimated 6.6 per cent among adults in the United States, compared to 2.7 per cent in 2013. The paper says the increase may be due to an increase in immunosuppressive medications available to patients. Similarly, Kumar estimates about four to six per cent of the Canadian population is immunocompromised to some degree in part because of medical advances in immunosuppressants. 'We haven't had so much measles circulating when we've had so many people that are immunocompromised,' Kumar says. 'It's a bit of a new era.' This new era has led researchers to re-examine how to protect this population. On March 14, the day after she was notified of exposure, Miller drove to Toronto General Hospital, as advised by the team of health providers who manage her care. She received an intravenous infusion of immunoglobulin therapy containing antibodies from donated human blood to provide immediate short-term protection against measles. She hasn't gotten sick, but given it's one of the most contagious diseases in the world – one person with measles can infect nine out of 10 of their unvaccinated close contacts, according to the World Health Organization – she's been cautious. At a crowded grocery store over the weekend, Miller says she left feeling uncomfortable. 'It does stop you from doing things,' she says. Kumar says she is concerned about immunocompromised people who are exposed, but don't make it to a doctor in time, the way Miller did. She says there's a six-day window post exposure that immunoglobulin can be given. 'Measles is a virus that can attack many parts of the body, it can attack the lungs, the brain. And so in the most severe cases, and if you're immunocompromised, then the chances of having the severe form of the virus increases,' says Kumar. For Steff Di Pardo, a 29-year-old Mississauga resident diagnosed with ankylosing spondylitis, a form of arthritis and autoimmune disease, that's been a scary reality. The medical infusions she receives every eight weeks to manage chronic back and pelvic pain helps slow down the progression of the disease, but it also makes her immunocompromised. As a result, she says she's always aware of her surroundings and wears a mask, but recently, that awareness has been heightened as measles has circulated. Janna Shapiro, a post-doctoral fellow at the Centre for Vaccine Preventable Diseases affiliated with the University of Toronto, is researching the risk of live vaccines for immunocompromised patients in the current climate of a measles resurgence. 'That risk-benefit may be a little bit different than it was five or 10 years ago,' says Shapiro, suggesting the area deserves a re-examination. She's trying to understand if the immune system of children with leukemia is strong enough to protect them from a weakened version of the virus in the vaccine. Shapiro is also looking at other groups, such as kids treated with a new group of drugs called biologics for inflammatory bowel disease, that she says didn't exist or did not exist to this scale before measles was eliminated in Canada. 'We're trying to understand this and understand how to strategize and best use vaccines as well as other tools to protect these kids. But the reality is that if everybody around them is immunized, then they're much less likely to be exposed.' This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 25, 2025. Canadian Press health coverage receives support through a partnership with the Canadian Medical Association. CP is solely responsible for this content.
Winnipeg Free Press
25-04-2025
- Health
- Winnipeg Free Press
Transplant recipients and other immunocompromised people worry about measles exposure
TORONTO – Laurie Miller, a 59-year-old heart transplant patient exposed to measles in Stratford, Ont., says her story speaks to the risks people who are immunocompromised face during an outbreak. She brought her husband to the emergency room in mid-March after an all-terrain vehicle accident. Their local public health unit called a few days later saying a patient with measles had been in the emergency room too. Miller was at the hair salon she works at in a retirement home when she got the call. Though she's born before 1970, a cohort Health Canada says likely acquired natural immunity to measles, the public health official told her to leave immediately and quarantine at home. Her public health unit Huron Perth has seen more than 120 cases since an outbreak began in October. Public Health Ontario said Thursday the total number of cases reported in the province has surpassed 1,000, with 95 new cases since last week. Alberta's case count was 122 as of Wednesday, with the province noting 14 were 'known to be communicable,' while Quebec declared its outbreak over earlier this week. People who are immunocompromised cannot get immunized against measles because the vaccine contains a live attenuated virus, a weakened version of the virus that teaches the body how to fight the disease, because it could infect a weakened immune system. 'There's so many of us out there that are immunocompromised. It's not just heart, it's liver, it's lung, it's people that have cancer. They're doing chemo. There's people with heart failure,' Miller says. Dr. Deepali Kumar, director of the Ajmera Transplant Centre at Toronto's University Health Network, says last time Ontario had a measles outbreak this big – before the disease was eliminated in Canada in 1988 – there were far fewer immunocompromised people. Research published in JAMA in February showed the rate of immunosuppression in 2021 was an estimated 6.6 per cent among adults in the United States, compared to 2.7 per cent in 2013. The paper says the increase may be due to an increase in immunosuppressive medications available to patients. Similarly, Kumar estimates about four to six per cent of the Canadian population is immunocompromised to some degree in part because of medical advances in immunosuppressants. 'We haven't had so much measles circulating when we've had so many people that are immunocompromised,' Kumar says. 'It's a bit of a new era.' This new era has led researchers to re-examine how to protect this population. On March 14, the day after she was notified of exposure, Miller drove to Toronto General Hospital, as advised by the team of health providers who manage her care. She received an intravenous infusion of immunoglobulin therapy containing antibodies from donated human blood to provide immediate short-term protection against measles. She hasn't gotten sick, but given it's one of the most contagious diseases in the world – one person with measles can infect nine out of 10 of their unvaccinated close contacts, according to the World Health Organization – she's been cautious. At a crowded grocery store over the weekend, Miller says she left feeling uncomfortable. 'It does stop you from doing things,' she says. Kumar says she is concerned about immunocompromised people who are exposed, but don't make it to a doctor in time, the way Miller did. She says there's a six-day window post exposure that immunoglobulin can be given. 'Measles is a virus that can attack many parts of the body, it can attack the lungs, the brain. And so in the most severe cases, and if you're immunocompromised, then the chances of having the severe form of the virus increases,' says Kumar. For Steff Di Pardo, a 29-year-old Mississauga resident diagnosed with ankylosing spondylitis, a form of arthritis and autoimmune disease, that's been a scary reality. The medical infusions she receives every eight weeks to manage chronic back and pelvic pain helps slow down the progression of the disease, but it also makes her immunocompromised. As a result, she says she's always aware of her surroundings and wears a mask, but recently, that awareness has been heightened as measles has circulated. Janna Shapiro, a post-doctoral fellow at the Centre for Vaccine Preventable Diseases affiliated with the University of Toronto, is researching the risk of live vaccines for immunocompromised patients in the current climate of a measles resurgence. During Elections Get campaign news, insight, analysis and commentary delivered to your inbox during Canada's 2025 election. 'That risk-benefit may be a little bit different than it was five or 10 years ago,' says Shapiro, suggesting the area deserves a re-examination. She's trying to understand if the immune system of children with leukemia is strong enough to protect them from a weakened version of the virus in the vaccine. Shapiro is also looking at other groups, such as kids treated with a new group of drugs called biologics for inflammatory bowel disease, that she says didn't exist or did not exist to this scale before measles was eliminated in Canada. 'We're trying to understand this and understand how to strategize and best use vaccines as well as other tools to protect these kids. But the reality is that if everybody around them is immunized, then they're much less likely to be exposed.' This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 25, 2025. Canadian Press health coverage receives support through a partnership with the Canadian Medical Association. CP is solely responsible for this content.
