Measles cases continue in the Tillsonburg area

Jeff Helsdon, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

Measles cases are continuing to pop up in the area.

The first case of measles in the Southwestern Public Health area – covering Oxford, Elgin and St. Thomas – was in October 2024. Since then, 325 cases have been confirmed.

“We had a case that travelled and came into the province and that’s how the measles outbreak started, said Dr. Ninh Tran, Medical Officer of Health.

The size of the outbreak is at a level that hasn’t been seen since the mid-1990s.

Of those who had confirmed cases of measles, 90 per cent were not immunized.

“Your risk is by far higher if you have never been vaccinated,” Tran said. “Having being vaccinated provides a high level of protection against acquiring measles, and if you have been vaccinated and you still catch measles, your sickness is milder.”

With a significant number of measles cases in the area, health officials are advising parents to move up the vaccination schedule for young children. Normally, the first dose is administered at one year of age, and the second between four and six. However, in situations like the present one, the first dose can be given between six months and 11 months, and the second dose at two to three years of age.

“Getting an earlier dose to get the protection earlier is what we’re recommending in our area,” Tran said.

To that end, clinics are being held to provide shots as well as advising primary care providers in the Southwestern Public Health area of the change in guidance. A list of clinics can be found at Swpulbichealth.ca/measles

The situation is different for anyone born before 1970, who is considered immune. Of the 325 cases, only three were 55 years of age or older.

If measles is confirmed, medical professionals are advising to isolate and recover at home. If symptoms are severe, Tran asks the impacted person call their doctor’s office or hospital before visiting to allow precautions to be taken.

Tran predicted new cases will continue but was hopeful case counts will drop off in the summer months, as is usually the case. However, he didn’t want to speculate this would occur.

The latest case in Tillsonburg and area was in the emergency department at the hospital on March 31, between 10:55 a.m. and 1:17 p.m.