The measles epidemic continues in Quebec.
The province has reached 30 cases, according to the latest public health figures.
The Laurentians region remains the most affected, with 27 cases of measles, the others being in the Montreal, Laval and Montérégie areas.
Vaccination is the best way to protect against this highly contagious disease. Quebec’s vaccination schedule calls for children to receive the vaccine at 12 and 18 months, but it can be administered free of charge at any age.
Last week, the Health Ministry announced that vaccination coverage for primary and secondary school pupils for the current school year (2024-2025) is around 90 per cent.
However, it noted vaccine delays among toddlers and certain adult populations.
For the time being, Quebec is not experiencing an explosion in the number of cases.
In Ontario, 84 new cases of measles have been reported in the last two weeks, almost double the total number of cases in the province since the epidemic began in the fall.
As of Feb. 26, a total of 119 cases have been confirmed in Ontario, and 23 cases are considered probable.
The main symptoms of measles are high fever, cough, runny nose, red eyes and rash on the face and body.
Significant complications can occur, leading to death for vulnerable people, especially unvaccinated babies.
In Quebec, public health authorities are working to contact people who have been in contact with reported cases, to inform them to be vigilant for the appearance of symptoms, and to invite them to be vaccinated, if they have not already done so.
If a person is not vaccinated and has been in contact with a case of measles, he or she must isolate him or herself at home from the fifth day after exposure to the 14th day inclusive.
An individual is not contagious during the first four days following exposure.
According to the latest data from the Public Health Agency of Canada, Manitoba and British Columbia also have a few cases of measles.
The United States is also seeing an increase in the spread of this disease.
Last week, the first measles death in a decade occurred in Texas.
It involved an unvaccinated child.
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This report by The Canadian Press was first published in French on March 3, 2025.
