Measles exposure warning issued for Ajax-Pickering hospital emergency room

People who were in the emergency department waiting room at Lakeridge Health Ajax-Pickering, or at an airline terminal in Mississauga, may have been exposed to measles, Durham Region Health Department is warning.

The warning is tied to a confirmed case of measles in a local unimmunized child with recent international travel. The Health Department is investigating the exposures and has followed up directly with known contacts in Durham Region.

In an updated public notice, the department identified two additional settings where members of the public may have been exposed, along with the dates and times involved.

The first location is a passenger terminal at Silver Dart Drive in Mississauga, with an exposure window running from 11:32 p.m. East Africa Time to 7:30 a.m. Eastern Standard Time. The second is the Lakeridge Health Ajax-Pickering emergency department waiting room, with a window from 7:30 a.m. to 11 a.m. Eastern Standard Time.

Anyone who was at either location during the listed times is advised to monitor themselves for signs and symptoms of measles until 21 days after their exposure.

According to Durham Region Health Department, measles symptoms typically begin seven to 21 days after infection. The department's full list of symptoms and its guidance for people who may have been exposed are available at durham.ca/Measles.

Measles is a highly contagious disease that spreads easily to anyone who is not immunized or who has not previously had the illness, the department noted. The virus can remain in the air or on surfaces for up to two hours after an infected person leaves an area.

Certain groups face a higher risk of complications from measles, including infants under one year of age, unimmunized pregnant individuals and people with weakened immune systems.

The Health Department is urging residents who believe they may have been exposed at the identified settings to review the notice on the Region's website and follow the monitoring advice it sets out. Additional information about the measles virus is posted at durham.ca/Measles.