Ontario is in the midst of its largest measles outbreak in nearly 30 years. Since the outbreak began last October, over 2,000 cases have occurred. This alarming increase has caused great concern for health officials and the public, especially in Southwestern Ontario. The community spread that kicked off this outbreak started with a gathering of Mennonites in New Brunswick. Since then, it has created a wave outbursting the movement, with nine provinces and territories exporting active measles cases during this year alone.
The Southwestern Public Health Unit, encompassing areas like Aylmer—a farming town that is home to a significant Low-German-speaking Mennonite population—has recorded the highest number of cases in Ontario. Dr. Ninh Tran, the region’s medical officer of health, noted that the disease is prospering mainly among those who remain unvaccinated. This pattern holds true regardless of race or ethnicity.
Public Health Ontario revealed troubling statistics: seven babies contracted measles in utero and subsequently died due to other serious medical complications. So far, at least 40 pregnant women in Ontario are confirmed to have contracted measles during this outbreak. Dr. Michelle Barton-Forbes noted that just under ten pregnant women with measles have been treated at the London Health Sciences Centre since the outbreak’s onset.
Local hospitals are stretched thin by the sudden surge of measles, with cases increasing almost overnight. The St. Thomas Elgin General Hospital has cared for 88 confirmed patients, with 66 being children. To safeguard at-risk patients, hospitals in hard-hit areas have implemented visiting bans to protect the most vulnerable. This precautionary measure particularly affects maternity and pediatric wards.
The way that hospitals have responded to this unprecedented outbreak has been inspiring. They are currently administering intravenous immunoglobulin to unvaccinated pregnant women who are exposed to measles, and to their newborns, as well. Dr. Barton-Forbes emphasized the heightened risks pregnant women face when contracting measles, including complications such as hepatitis and pneumonia, which can lead to hospital admission or even death.
Even as the Omicron wave subsided, Canada’s chief public health officer issued a sobering message. If vaccination rates are not turned around, measles may continue to spread for as long as a year! The debate over vaccination has, especially recently, become deeply politicized. Yet many of these community members remain reluctant to take the vaccine, even as infections surge.
Local resident Jill Portelance said she’s had it with the vibe around the vaccine. “When people would die from COVID, people would make the excuse of, ‘Oh, well, they had other things. They died of something else,’” she remarked, reflecting on the societal tendency to downplay serious health issues.
The narrow scope of the program was illustrated by Esther Wiebe’s testimony about her family’s experience making health decisions around vaccinating during pregnancy. “My sister-in-law, she figured for the girls, it can be bad if they get it during pregnancy, right?” she said, indicating the anxiety many families feel amidst the outbreak.
We heard from Dr. Barton-Forbes that healthcare providers have a hard time responding to community resistance to vaccination. “The key is, when you go in, you have to sense what the emotion is and try to understand where the family is coming from,” she stated. This new approach seeks to make sure that vaccination conversations feel open and safe, instead of alienating and accusatory.
Yet, despite these efforts there is still a portion of the population that is actively refusing vaccination. Dr. Barton-Forbes noted, “You have the folks who are really vaccine refusing,” highlighting the complexities that healthcare professionals encounter in addressing vaccine hesitancy.
The outbreak’s effect on the town’s Low-German-speaking Mennonite community, which makes up much of the rural town’s population, has been especially acute. Thousands of community champions are still facing these conflicting messages today, navigating the uncharted territory that is making the case for vaccination to protect their communities.
Dr. Kieran Moore addressed the situation surrounding infant deaths linked to measles, emphasizing that while measles may have been a contributing factor in both premature births and deaths, affected infants often faced additional serious medical complications.
As Ontario continues to navigate this outbreak, health officials remain focused on increasing vaccination rates and educating communities about the dangers associated with measles. They highlight that fighting misinformation and building trust is key right now to stopping new infections and protecting those who are most at risk.
