Measles Outbreak Hits Canada

by Dr. Trupti Shirole on February 13, 2015 at 7:13 AM

A measles outbreak with at least one case linked to a flare-up of the virus in the neighboring United States has struck Canada, revealed the public health officials.

Quebec's public health agency said, "10 cases have been confirmed northeast of Montreal. An infant in Winnipeg, Manitoba, as well as eight people in Toronto and Niagara Falls, Ontario also contracted the virus in recent weeks. All of the cases involved people who were not vaccinated against measles. Only one was directly linked to an outbreak clustered around the Disneyland amusement park in California. Our investigation has found that the first person to be infected in Quebec contracted the virus during a trip to a fantasy park in California, where other cases were reported. Presumably the virus was then spread to the other nine in the province upon their return."

Measles

Measles is a viral infection with symptoms of fever,and rashes. Measles is prevented by vaccination and staying away from the infected individuals.

Meanwhile, Ontario has ruled out a link to Disneyland in all but one case in the province, which it is still under investigation.

A Manitoba public health official said, "The Winnipeg infant likely contracted the virus during a recent family trip to India in which they transited through the United States."

Canada has been free of endemic measles since 1998, except for an outbreak in 2011 in Quebec which reached 700 cases and was the biggest outbreak in North America.

Source: Medindia

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