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Measles Cases: 38 Active Cases: 0
Last updated: July 11, 2025
If you have symptoms of measles, isolate at home and avoid contact with others. Call before visiting a health care provider, clinic or hospital so they can prepare or your visit and prevent exposing others. Wear a mask when you arrive.
Check my Vaccination Status Vaccine Recommendations Info for Healthcare Professionals
Local Measles Exposures 2025
For exposure locations outside of our district, see places and dates of exposure to a case of measles in Ontario.
We're here to help.
Instructions:
If you were at the above locations during the time indicated and meet any of the following criteria, contact our new Measles call centre at 705-707-1455 as soon as possible and we can discuss the best next steps for you:
- Infants under 12 months of age
- Immunocompromised individuals
- Individuals born after January 1, 1970, and who are not vaccinated with two doses of an MMR or MMRV vaccine, or haven’t had measles in the past
- A healthcare worker or military personnel born in any year who is not vaccinated with two doses of an MMR or MMRV vaccine
We kindly ask that anyone not at the exposure locations during the time indicated, or who do not meet the above criteria, refrain from contacting the call centre so phone lines can stay open for those at higher risk of exposure.
You are considered protected from measles and do not have to contact us if you or your child do not fit the above criteria.
Call Centre Hours
8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday to Friday
Measles
Measles is a very contagious respiratory virus that can spread easily through the air when someone with measles breathes, coughs, sneezes or talks. The virus can stay in the air or on surfaces for up to two hours after an infected person has left the area. People can become infected if they breathe the contaminated air or touch the infected surfaces, then touch their eyes, nose, or mouth.
Symptoms of measles can take seven to 21 days to develop after exposure (usually 10 to 12 days). The first symptoms to appear are:
Two to three days after developing the first symptoms, small white spots may appear in the inside of the mouth and throat (Koplik spots).
About three to seven days after symptoms begin, a rash develops on the face then spreads to the rest of the body. This rash can last four to seven days.
If you have symptoms of measles, isolate at home and avoid contact with others. Call before visiting a health care provider, clinic or hospital so they can prepare for your visit and prevent exposing others.
Stay home from work, school, childcare and other public activities for four days after the onset of the rash. Only return once well enough to participate in activities.
Note: Guidelines for absence may differ for healthcare workers. Follow the direction of your healthcare provider, public health case manager, or occupational health at your workplace.
If you have been tested for measles please see Measles Testing: A Quick Guide for Patients.
Someone with measles can spread the virus from four days before, to four days after the first sign of a rash.
There is no treatment for measles. Drink plenty of fluids, get lots of rest, and seek medical attention if symptoms are not manageable at home.
Many people fully recover from measles within two to three weeks, but some people will have complications that can include:
It is also possible to develop a neurological condition called subacute sclerosing panencephalitis seven to ten years after recovering from measles. It affects the brain and can develop even if it looks like you've fully recovered from the initial infection. The condition is rare, but fatal. The risk of developing this condition may be higher if you have measles before two years of age.
Complications for people who get measles while pregnant can include:
Most likely not. Being infected with Measles generally gives you lifelong immunity to the virus.
Vaccination
Check your immunization record to make sure you're up-to-date with your MMR vaccine, and get caught up on any outstanding doses based on the guidance below.
- If you are born before 1970, you are presumed to have natural immunity to measles.
- Every adult is eligible for one dose of the MMR vaccine if they have never received one previously.
- Adults who have only received one dose of the MMR vaccine are eligible to receive a second dose:
- If they are health care workers
- If they are post-secondary students
- If they are in the military
- If they are planning to travel to areas where disease is of concern
- Based on the health care provider’s clinical judgment
All adults born in or after 1970 who will be going to live, work, study, travel to, worship or spend time in communities where the risk of exposure to measles is higher, should ensure they have received two doses of a measles-containing vaccine. In Ontario, the following health unit districts are areas where the risk of exposure to measles is higher:
• Chatham-Kent Health Unit
• Grand Erie Health Unit
• Grey Bruce Health Unit
• Huron Perth District Health Unit
• Lampton Public Health
• Middlesex-London Health Unit
• Southwestern Public Health
• Region of Waterloo Public Health
• Wellington-Dufferin-Guelph Public Health
• Windsor-Essex County Health Unit.
- Children should receive two doses of measles-containing vaccine:
- One dose of the MMR vaccine at one year of age (on/after the first birthday)
- One dose of the MMRV vaccine (or MMR and Varicella vaccines) between four and six years of age
Children who will be going to live, travel to, study, worship or spend time in communities where the risk of exposure to measles is higher should receive their second dose of measles-containing vaccine as soon as possible (minimum of 4 weeks from the first dose). In Ontario, the following health unit districts are areas where the risk of exposure to measles is higher:
• Chatham-Kent Health Unit
• Grand Erie Health Unit
• Grey Bruce Health Unit
• Huron Perth District Health Unit
• Lampton Public Health
• Middlesex-London Health Unit
• Southwestern Public Health
• Region of Waterloo Public Health
• Wellington-Dufferin-Guelph Public Health
• Windsor-Essex County Health Unit.
Protect them by getting the vaccine yourself. Infants are at the highest risk of getting measles as they are not usually given the vaccine until 12 months of age.
Infants six to eleven months of age can be given an MMR vaccine if they have been exposed to measles (within 72 hours of exposure) or if they are going to live, travel to, worship or spend time in communities where the risk of exposure to measles is higher. In Ontario, the following health unit districts are areas where the risk of exposure to measles is higher:
• Chatham-Kent Health Unit
• Grand Erie Health Unit
• Grey Bruce Health Unit
• Huron Perth District Health Unit
• Lampton Public Health
• Middlesex-London Health Unit
• Southwestern Public Health
• Region of Waterloo Public Health
• Wellington-Dufferin-Guelph Public Health
• Windsor-Essex County Health Unit.
Note: If the MMR vaccine is given at this age, it will not provide lasting protection against the virus. Two additional doses are required at ≥1 year of age and at appropriate intervals.
Refer to
guidance on our healthcare professionals page.
No, people who have received two doses of the MMR vaccine are considered protected for life and never need a booster dose.
If you, your healthcare provider and the Health Unit are not able to retrieve your vaccination record, you are considered unimmunized and can be started on an age-appropriate routine immunization schedule as per the publicly funded immunization schedule.
Even if you received a vaccine in the past, it's safe to get additional doses of the MMR vaccine.
We are continuing to monitor and assess the situation and cannot speculate on the availability of mass vaccination clinics at this time. Should we determine vaccine clinics are required, we will share details as they become available.
To book a vaccine appointment with us, email vpd@healthunit.ca or call 1-800-563-2808, ext. 5252. Your patience is appreciated as we anticipate a high volume of calls. We will do our best to return your call as soon as possible. Our hours of operation are Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
You can also contact your health care provider to request an appointment.
The body needs time to produce protective antibodies in response to the vaccine. People are usually fully protected after about two week post-vaccination.
Short answer: very! Two doses of the measles vaccine are about 97% effective at preventing measles if exposed to the virus. One dose is about 93% effective.
Did you know?:
- Over 90 per cent of people who aren't vaccinated and come into contact with measles will become infected.
Last updated: May 12, 2025
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2024 Statistics
Incidence rate is the number of new cases of disease divided by the number of persons at risk for the disease during a particular time period.
