Measles exposure possible at Toronto Pearson after child case

Durham Region Health Department has confirmed measles in an unimmunized child who recently travelled internationally, and it is warning that members of the public may have been exposed at three locations. The department announced the case in a news release Friday and added exposure settings in a Saturday update, naming Toronto Pearson International Airport among them.

The possible exposure sites are Ethiopian Airlines flight ET552, which left Addis Ababa at 11:32 p.m. East Africa Time on 2 November and arrived in Toronto at 7:30 a.m. EST on 3 November; Terminal 1 at Toronto Pearson from 7:30 a.m. to 11 a.m. on 3 November; and the emergency department waiting room at Lakeridge Health Ajax-Pickering from 10:40 a.m. to 5 p.m. on 3 November.

Anyone who was present at any of those locations during those times should watch for symptoms until 24 November, the department said. The department is investigating and contacting anyone who was known to be in contact with the child.

Durham health officials say measles symptoms usually begin seven to 21 days after infection and may involve a fever above 38.3°C, cough, runny nose, red or watery eyes, light sensitivity, and a rash that can persist for four to seven days. The virus is highly contagious, spreads through the air, and can survive in the air or on surfaces for as long as two hours.

Health officials advise people who may have been exposed to confirm they have two doses of measles vaccine. Those born before 1970 are likely protected because they probably had measles as a child. "If you develop symptoms, stay home and do not attend work or school," health officials wrote. Officials also advise calling ahead before going to a clinic or primary care provider and wearing a well-fitting mask during a medical assessment.

Infants under one year, unimmunized pregnant people and people with weakened immune systems are at higher risk of complications from measles, according to the health department. People with questions about airport exposures can reach out to their local public health unit or Health 811, Ontario's health help line.

In June, Peel Public Health warned of a possible measles exposure at Pearson on the same Ethiopian Airlines flight number ET552, though it described the risk as low, and in July it warned of exposures on two other flights. The Star reported that last month the Public Health Agency of Canada declared an end to a measles outbreak that had lasted two years and infected thousands, though Chief Public Health Officer Dr. Joss Reimer cautioned that measles has not disappeared.