Hamilton health officials investigating measles case in child who passed through Toronto airport
Posted March 13, 2024 3:50 pm.
Last Updated March 13, 2024 4:37 pm.
Health officials in Hamilton are investigating a case of measles in a child who recently passed through Pearson International Airport in Toronto.
Hamilton Public Health Services says the child acquired the illness during a recent trip to India and flew back home through Toronto on a flight from Saudi Arabia on March 5.
Officials say individuals who were on Flight SV61 from Jeddah that began at 9:40 a.m. local time and landed in Toronto as well as anyone who may have been in Terminal 3 between the hours of 3:25 p.m. and 8:30 p.m. may have been possibly exposed to the virus.
The child in question is currently isolating at home.
“Measles is a highly contagious disease caused by a respiratory virus,” health officials say. “Measles spreads easily to those who are not vaccinated against measles or who have not previously had measles.”
Symptoms of measles include a cough, runny nose, red, watery eyes, and a red, blotchy rash which typically appears three to seven days after symptoms first start.
Public Health Ontario says it has confirmed eight cases of measles in the province so far in 2024, six of which were associated with travel. The agency says there were a total of seven measles cases confirmed in all of 2023.
