Public Health Alert for Clinicians: Confirmed travel-related measles case in Windsor-Essex

Alert Date
Location
Windsor-Essex County

The Windsor-Essex County Health Unit (WECHU) recently received a laboratory-confirmed measles case and issued a warning, on Jan. 26, 2024, to travelers and anyone who may have been exposed to measles infection at various locations on multiple days. See News Release: Windsor-Essex County Health Unit Issues Warning for Possible Measles Exposure.
 
Clinicians are strongly encouraged to consider measles as part of the differential diagnosis when clients present with: 

  • febrile illness and rash
  • history suggesting that they are not immune to measles
  • if they have travelled to areas with measles outbreak or are known to have had an epidemiologic link to a measles case or outbreak.1

Measles Clinical Presentation
Symptoms of measles begin 7 – 21 days after exposure to a case of measles and include fever, coryza, cough, and conjunctivitis. Small white spots (Koplik's spots) can appear on the inside of the mouth and throat but are not always present. Then, 3 – 7 days after the start of symptoms, a red maculopapular rash appears on the face and then progresses down the body.2
 
Duty to Report
Timely reporting of communicable diseases is essential for their control. Clinicians are required to report all diseases of public health significance (DOPHS) as per the requirements in accordance with Ontario Reg 135/18 and amendments under the Health Protection and Promotion Act, R.S.O. 1990. Refer to the DOPHS List for all reporting requirements.
 
Reporting forms are available on the WECHU website (www.wechu.org/forms). Reporting forms should be filled out completely and faxed to 226-783-2132.
 
For questions or concerns, please call 519-258-2146 ext. 1420 during regular office hours, and 519-973-4510 during after-hours and weekends. You can also visit our website at www.wechu.org/professionals/diseases-public-health-significance-dophs.
 
For more information, visit: 

  1. Measles: For health professionals (PHAC)
  2. Appendix 1: Case Definitions and Disease Specific Information: Measles 
  3. Measles Information for Clinicians (PHO)
  4. Vaccine Preventable Disease: Surveillance Report to December 31, 2019: Measles (PHAC)
  5. Measles vaccines: Canadian Immunization Guide (PHAC)
  6. DOPHS List