Toronto Public Health has issued a warning about potential measles exposure at multiple locations in Scarborough after a confirmed case of the highly contagious disease. The health agency is advising anyone who visited these sites on specific dates to monitor for symptoms and verify their vaccination status.
Exposure Locations and Times
The potential exposures occurred at the following Scarborough locations: Scarborough Town Centre (July 2, 2-6 p.m.), a TTC bus route 38 Highland Creek (July 2, 1:30-3 p.m.), and the Scarborough Health Network - General campus emergency department (July 3, 8 a.m.-noon). Toronto Public Health stated that individuals who were at these locations during the specified times may have been exposed.
Health Advisory and Symptoms
Measles symptoms include fever, cough, runny nose, red eyes, and a red rash that starts on the face and spreads to the rest of the body. Symptoms typically appear 7 to 21 days after exposure. Anyone who develops symptoms should call ahead before visiting a healthcare provider to avoid further spread.
Dr. Vinita Dubey, Toronto's associate medical officer of health, emphasized the importance of vaccination. “Measles is preventable through vaccination. The best protection is two doses of the measles, mumps, rubella (MMR) vaccine,” she said.
Public Health Response
Toronto Public Health is working to identify and notify individuals who may have been exposed. The agency reminds the public that measles is highly contagious and can spread through the air when an infected person coughs or sneezes. Health officials urge anyone who is not fully vaccinated to get immunized as soon as possible.
