Windsor-Essex health unit sees significant reduction in measles cases

The Windsor Essex County Health Unit (WECHU) is reporting a significant reduction in the number of measles cases in the region in southwestern Ontario.

In its latest update, the unit has recorded only one case over the last three weeks, medical officer of health in Dr. Mehdi Aloosh told CBC News on Thursday.

Aloosh said the region recorded the highest numbers of cases in April with a total of 82. There were 43 cases in March, 19 in May and two cases in June, he said.

A total of 147 measles cases have been reported in Windsor-Essex since the start of the year.

Uptick in number of people getting MMR vaccine

Aloosh said there's been an uptick in the number of people getting the MMR vaccine, but the exact number is not yet known.

"From what we provided, I can say that we provided vaccines to 5,000 migrant farm workers in our region," he said.

"Its a voluntary program, and this was one of the successes of our region, to protect these populations from the disease that was circulating in our region."

The latest numbers correspond with a Public Health Ontario report released Thursday that suggests a continuing downward trend in new measles cases.

The health agency is reporting 12 new cases in the province, down from 33 new cases last week and 96 the week before that.

Four more people were infected in southwestern Ontario — the area that was hardest hit for months — according to the report.

Ontario has had a total of 2,223 measles cases since an outbreak linked to travel in New Brunswick began last October.