Ottawa Public Health (OPH) has linked Ottawa’s fifth case of measles this year. This case comes in the wake of a bigger outbreak that is sweeping the province. Public Health Ontario’s most recent data indicates that, as of August 12, there are 2,362 cases linked to this provincial outbreak. Those numbers represent a tremendous loss to that community. Of Ottawa’s five confirmed cases, two of them are linked to this evolving outbreak — a fact causing a growing alarm by health officials.
The specific person who got measles got the disease from traveling in western Canada. Ottawa Public Health OPH identified the exact places in Ottawa that the person with the infection had visited. As a result, health officials are now advising anyone who might have been in the vicinity during those hours to get tested. You shopped at Shoppers Drug Mart located at 702 Bank Street and Michaels located at 165 Trainyards Drive on August 5. The following morning, you walked into Fitness Lab on 34 Beech Street.
At Shoppers Drug Mart, the time window of exposure was between 9 p.m. and 11:30 p.m. on August 5. Meanwhile, at Michaels, individuals were potentially exposed between 8:15 p.m. and 10:30 p.m. on the same day. Fitness Lab had an exposure window on August 6 from 5:45 a.m. to 8:45 a.m. Any one of us who was there during this period should be vigilant for signs and symptoms and contact qualified health professionals if any are needed.
Nevertheless, with each case confirmed, OPH has continued to reassure the public that the risk of this virus to the general population is still low. Health officials claim that no one has transmitted measles locally within the city this year. That’s a sign that they’re really on top of things.
Ottawa continues to be affected by this measles outbreak first declared in May. This sent up a red flag, an urgent alert to health officials and the rest of the community. Just last week OPH confirmed a fifth case of measles. They are furiously tracking the developments and sounding an alarm bell with all of their might about the need for vaccination as the best prevention.
