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The measles virus is typically spread through coughing and sneezing. It can cause ear infections, pneumonia, diarrhea, blindness, brain inflammation and death. Early symptoms, which usually occur 10 or 12 days after infection, include fever, cough, runny nose and inflamed eyes. Within two or three days of symptoms appearing, white spots may appear inside the mouth, followed by a red rash spreading from the face to the rest of the body.

The local vaccination rate among schoolchildren is 98.4 per cent. The last case of measles reported in the area was in 2014.

According to Dr. Carolyn Pim, associate medical officer of health at OPH, the virus can live in the air for up to two hours, which makes the process of tracking down people who might have been exposed difficult. She says there are two purposes for contacting these people. “One is to identify the people who may benefit from things that we can do to prevent them from personally getting infections. If it’s very soon after they’ve been exposed, a measles vaccine can be effective in preventing them from getting an infection.” Those at high risk, she notes, such as infants and people with weakened immune systems, may also benefit from an immune globulin IV to help boost their immune system.

“The second is to advise people to watch out for signs and symptoms of measles, so we can catch it very early if they do develop measles.”

If parents are unsure of whether their children have been properly vaccinated, Pim recommends they contact their physician or call Ottawa Public Health.