New measles exposure warnings in Kingston, Tamworth, Napanee
The local health unit is advising residents of potential measles exposure in Southeastern Ontario
The local health unit is telling people who visited a screening of A Minecraft Movie in Kingston, a school or post office in Tamworth, or hospitals in Napanee and Prince Edward County this month, that they may have been exposed to measles and may need to take action.
The South East Health Unit said in a Tuesday news release that people in the following places may have been exposed to the highly contagious, potentially lethal disease:
- Tamworth Elementary School between April 3-10.
- Tamworth Post Office on April 10 from 4:10 p.m. to 6:10 p.m.
- The emergency department of Lennox & Addington County General Hospital on April 10 from 7 p.m. to 11:47 p.m.
- Cineplex Kingston on April 10 from 4:20 p.m. to 8 p.m., including at the 4:35 p.m. screening of A Minecraft Movie, the concession area and bathrooms.
- Prince Edward County Memorial Hospital on April 11 from 12 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.
The advisory was related to a new single positive case of measles, the health unit said.
The health unit says people who visited those locations and are immunocompromised, have fewer than two measles vaccinations and are born after 1970, are younger than a year old, are pregnant and/or are a health care or child care worker without immunity to measles should call them at 613-966-5500 extension 349 between 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. on weekdays.
The health unit has more information and guidance on its website.
Other exposures in last 2 weeks
Ontario is in a measles outbreak, with more than 800 cases as of the latest weekly update from Public Health Ontario. Symptoms include fever, cough, irritated eyes and a red, blotchy face rash that spreads.
There have been recent exposures in Prince Edward County, Trenton, Kingston and Belleville, plus Cobden and Petawawa further north.
Ontario had no more than 22 cases a year from 2013 to 2019, according to the province.
The South East Health Unit is a merger between the health units for Hastings and Prince Edward counties; Kingston, Frontenac and Lennox & Addington counties; and Leeds, Grenville and Lanark counties.