(Image courtesy Nick Youngson CC BY-SA 3.0 Alpha Stock Images)
By Pam Wright
Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
Another case of measles surfaced in Chatham-Kent Friday, and the municipality’s acting medical officer of health says there may be more.
“I would not be surprised if there are other cases of measles in Chatham-Kent,” Dr. Shanker Nesathurai told reporters at a news conference Friday. “We anticipate there will be other cases.”
Nesathurai’s comments come in response to the confirmed case of a student at Chatham Christian School. It’s been widely reported on social media that the student was in school with the illness for a month, however, Chatham-Kent Public Health officials claim they cannot speak to this due to privacy concerns.
When asked about the possible time lag, Nesathurai said that public health begins an investigation as soon as officials are aware of a measles case. However, if there is no threat to the community, he said cases aren’t always publicized.
Besides the school, a growing list of other points of exposure have been identified. On the weekend, the CK Public Health expanded its list of possible exposure sites. They include Growing Together Family Resource Centre – W.J. Baird Site, 182 King St. in Blenheim between March 4 and 7 from 7:45 a.m. to 10 a.m.; Early ON, also at W.J. Baird, March 4-6, 7:45 a.m – 10 a.m.; Tim Horton’s at 41 Park Ave. in Chatham on March 6 between 4:45 p.m. and 7:15 p.m.; Country Kitchen at 415 Richmond St. in Chatham on March 7 between 9:30 a.m. and 1:15 p.m.; and WalMart in Chatham on March 7 between 11:15 a.m. and 2:30 p.m.
Those sites join Thamesview Family Health, 465 Grand Ave W. in Chatham, on March 5 from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. and again on March 6 from 2:15 p.m. to 4:45 p.m. An exposure also occurred at the Chatham-Kent Health Alliance (CKHA) on Feb. 15 from 2:35 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.
Measles symptoms include a fever, runny nose, cough, drowsiness, irritability, and red eyes. A red rash appears on the face three to seven days after the start of symptoms and this can spread on the body.
Anyone who was present at these locations during the aforementioned timeframes, and who is not up to date with their vaccinations, is asked to call CKPH at 519-352-7270 ext. 5902.
But despite the fact the disease is highly contagious, Nesathurai said the situation in Chatham-Kent is “readily manageable
“For those most part, the illness is only a challenge to those who are unvaccinated,” he stated.
Measles vaccination rates are high in Chatham-Kent, Nesathurai added. Across the district, students aged 17 years and under have a 95-per-cent vaccination rate, and 88 per cent of students are vaccinated at age 7.
The CKHA is also on the alert and has set up protocols to deal with measles directly.
According CKHA president and CEO Adam Topp, the hospital has stepped up its efforts.
“Because we know there are cases of measles in Ontario, we are more vigilant in trying to spot it,” Topp told media, stressing that people who think they may be infected who want to access health care are asked to call ahead.
Topp said suspected cases will be sent to a separate area, and negative pressure rooms and air scrubbers may be deployed.
“It’s a very, very contagious disease,” he said, noting officials don’t want measles patients mingling with others in the waiting room.
The latest case of measles marks the fifth in Chatham-Kent this year.
“It’s one of the most infectious diseases we know of,” Nesathurai said, adding a room can be contagious two hours after a person with the ailment has left it.
He said that when he graduated from medical school, he believed measles had been “vanquished,” and many young physicians have never encountered the illness.
In recent months, measles has been making a comeback in Ontario, with outbreaks in neighbouring municipalities. There are more than 225 cases confirmed.
