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Source: http://news.guelphmercury.com/News/article/319683
Fifth case of measles in city
April 22, 2008
Thana Dharmarajah
Public health officials have confirmed a fifth case of measles in Guelph, just as 96 students kept in isolation are set to return to school.
Janice Walters, Wellington-Dufferin-Guelph Public Health's manager of control of infectious diseases said yesterday alarm bells go off whenever a number of cases appear in the same area.
"We are concerned when there's a cluster of cases," she said.
Officials are also waiting on lab tests for four suspected cases. In addition, they are investigating eight other cases where people are reporting symptoms but weren't present at any of the exposure locations.
The 96 John McCrae Public School students, kept home since positive measles cases were confirmed April 9 at the school, will be able to head back to classes today.
"These kids haven't developed any symptoms of infection," Walters said.
Maggie McFadzen, Upper Grand District School Board spokesperson said the students will be "working as hard as they can" to catch up on the curriculum.
It is believed the potential exposure to the red measles virus happened at the school on or about April 1.
The children were kept at home because health officials believed they weren't adequately immunized and may have had contact with two children at the school who came down with the disease.
Walters said another site of exposure was the Fat Duck Gastro Pub on Kortright Road on March 26 and April 3 to April 6.
She encouraged parents to look at their children's immunization records and ensure they have had two doses of the MMR vaccine.
The recent bout of cases could be due to several factors, Walters said, adding that measles is endemic in other countries and there's always the risk of importing the virus when travelling. Some parents also decide against immunization, and not all vaccines are 100 per cent effective, she said.
Symptoms of measles can include fever, runny nose, cough and light-sensitive eyes. The virus is contagious and can be spread through the air or direct contact.
tdharmarajah@guelphmercury.com
Fifth case of measles in city
April 22, 2008
Thana Dharmarajah
Public health officials have confirmed a fifth case of measles in Guelph, just as 96 students kept in isolation are set to return to school.
Janice Walters, Wellington-Dufferin-Guelph Public Health's manager of control of infectious diseases said yesterday alarm bells go off whenever a number of cases appear in the same area.
"We are concerned when there's a cluster of cases," she said.
Officials are also waiting on lab tests for four suspected cases. In addition, they are investigating eight other cases where people are reporting symptoms but weren't present at any of the exposure locations.
The 96 John McCrae Public School students, kept home since positive measles cases were confirmed April 9 at the school, will be able to head back to classes today.
"These kids haven't developed any symptoms of infection," Walters said.
Maggie McFadzen, Upper Grand District School Board spokesperson said the students will be "working as hard as they can" to catch up on the curriculum.
It is believed the potential exposure to the red measles virus happened at the school on or about April 1.
The children were kept at home because health officials believed they weren't adequately immunized and may have had contact with two children at the school who came down with the disease.
Walters said another site of exposure was the Fat Duck Gastro Pub on Kortright Road on March 26 and April 3 to April 6.
She encouraged parents to look at their children's immunization records and ensure they have had two doses of the MMR vaccine.
The recent bout of cases could be due to several factors, Walters said, adding that measles is endemic in other countries and there's always the risk of importing the virus when travelling. Some parents also decide against immunization, and not all vaccines are 100 per cent effective, she said.
Symptoms of measles can include fever, runny nose, cough and light-sensitive eyes. The virus is contagious and can be spread through the air or direct contact.
tdharmarajah@guelphmercury.com