Montreal has become the epicentre of measles cases in Canada, with 10 confirmed cases of the virus in the province, all in the greater Montreal area, according to Dr. Luc Boileau, Quebec’s public health director. The disease is spreading in Quebec for the first time since 2019. Dr. Boileau stated that some cases are directly linked to international travel, while others are likely linked to one another or acquired in the community.
People who took their children to the emergency room of the Saint-Justine children’s hospital in late February may have been exposed to the virus, as Montreal public health officials have published a list of potential exposure sites on their website. Dr. Boileau emphasized the contagious nature of measles, noting that people become contagious four days before developing a rash common to the disease. He expressed concern over the 10 reported cases and warned that outbreaks often start with just a few cases.
As of March 1, there were only three reported cases of measles in the province, according to Dr. Mylene Drouin, Montreal’s public health director. She highlighted the low measles vaccination rates in some schools in the city and stressed the importance of increasing vaccination rates to 95 percent. Dr. Drouin noted that measles was declared eliminated in Canada in 1998 and urged unvaccinated Quebecers to ensure they and their children receive the vaccine.
Dr. Caroline Quach-Thanh, a pediatric infectious disease specialist at the Sainte-Justine hospital, warned of the complications of measles, including pneumonia and brain inflammation. She emphasized the importance of vaccination to prevent these serious consequences. In Ontario, public health officials reported five lab-confirmed measles cases, with one case related to community transmission. Similarly, British Columbia reported one case of measles. These developments underscore the importance of vaccination to prevent the spread of this highly contagious disease.