Health minister, premier defend Ontario's response to worsening measles outbreak
More than 1,300 people, many of them children, have fallen ill with the virus since October
Health Minister Sylvia Jones and Premier Doug Ford defended on Wednesday the province's approach to the measles outbreak as new infections increase sharply and criticism mounts.
Dr. Kieran Moore, Ontario's chief medical officer of health, told Radio-Canada in an interview earlier this week that the latest data shows there have been 1,384 people who have fallen ill from the virus since October.
Jones said Moore has been helping local public health units where the outbreaks are occurring. Moore directed public health units more than a year ago to focus their efforts on childhood vaccinations.
When asked if the province's approach was working, Jones said: "I believe it is."
"Look, there's no doubt that there are outbreaks in certain communities and the focus needs to be on first reminding caregivers, parents the value and the efficacy of a measles vaccine that has been in place for over 50 years in the province of Ontario," Jones said.
She said there's no vaccine shortage and defended the province's communications strategy, saying public health units are speaking with caregivers about the value of a measles vaccine.
Ford says getting kids vaccinated a 'no-brainer'
Premier Doug Ford, speaking with reporters at Queen's Park, pinned the blame for the growing outbreak on certain religious communities in the province, though he didn't specify what those communities are.
Ford called getting kids vaccinated a "no-brainer" and said Ontario has 150,000 units of vaccines available.
"I encourage anyone and everyone: you need to get your kids vaccinated, because if not it just starts spreading," he said, adding that's a problem for the whole province.
Ford said the government is running a $2-million ad campaign to encourage vaccinations.
Liberals, NDP blast province's response
Liberal health critic Dr. Adil Shamji, an emergency room physician, said he was flabbergasted by Jones's comments.
"It is inexplicable to me, absolutely inexplicable to me that the Minister of Health could stand at a press conference this morning and say that the government's measles response is working," he said.
The government needs to significantly increase its public education on the problem, he added.
"I have always found that patients, when given the right tools, the right information and the right recommendation, ultimately do the right thing," he said.
In a statement, NDP Leader Marit Stiles said the province is failing in its effort to contain the virus.
"Mother's Day is coming this weekend, and families are worried about accidental exposure for vulnerable kids and loved ones. But in the face of the worst outbreak in decades, the government's approach is clearly not working," Stiles said.
"We need real leadership and a serious plan to protect people, with a robust public education campaign on the effective and free MMR vaccine, and a funded, coordinated strategy to support public health units."
Almost all of the measles cases are tied to a multi—jurisdictional outbreak that began with a travel-related case in New Brunswick and spread to Ontario and Manitoba. Moore sent a memo to local public health units in March stating the origin of the outbreak was a large gathering with guests from Mennonite communities in New Brunswick last fall.
Jones's comments came at a news conference where she announced the province would invest up to $300 million to build 17 new and expanded primary care teaching clinics in communities where people need more family doctors.
With files from CBC News