THUNDER BAY — Members of the public who may have been exposed to the measles virus at local clinics and laboratories are being advised to take precautions.
Four days after announcing the first measles case in the city in nearly three decades, the Thunder Bay and District Health Unit disclosed Tuesday that people may have been exposed to the virus within certain hours last Wednesday and Thursday at four locations in the city:
- Wed. May 7 at the Harbourview Family Health Team on Oliver Rd. between 10:40 am and 1:15 pm
- Wed. May 7 at the LifeLabs location on Oliver Rd. between 11:15 am and 1:45 pm
- Thur. May 8 at the Port Arthur Health Centre (including Shoppers Drug Mart) between 10:30 am and 2:00 pm
- Thur. May 8 at the LifeLabs location at the P.A. Family Health Centre between 10:30 am and 2:00 pm
These locations are in addition to the previously announced potential exposure on Sun. May 4 on Air Canada flight 1195 from Toronto to Thunder Bay between 9:40 pm and 11 pm, and the same day at Thunder Bay International Airport between 11 pm and 1:30 am.
Karen Battigelli, manager of infectious disease for the health unit, told Newswatch the two clinics and the two labs were all visited by the infected individual
Both the LifeLabs locations identified Tuesday were temporarily closed at the company's own volition, as the TBDHU did not order them to shut down.
But a LifeLabs spokesperson said it took the action following advice from the health unit in an effort to protect the health and safety of its patients and staff, and that it was taking time to verify the immunity of its employees.
A third LifeLabs site, on Arthur Street, remained open.
The Oliver Road site will reopen Wednesday "at limited capacity," the company said.
The health unit is recommending that anyone who may have been exposed to the measles virus on the aircraft or at the airport on May 4 monitor for symptoms until May 25.
Individuals who could have been exposed at the labs or clinics on May 7 or May 8 should monitor for symptoms until May 28 and May 29 respectively.
Symptoms may include:
- fever, runny nose, cough, red eyes
- small spots with white centres that appear inside the mouth
- a red blotchy rash on the face that spreads down the body (normally appears 3 to 7 days after the onset of symptoms)
People should monitor for symptoms even if they are vaccinated against measles, and should seek medical care and testing if symptoms develop, while avoiding leaving home until results are returned.
Clinics should be notified in advance so appropriate precautions can be taken.
Measles is a highly contagious disease that can spread easily to others through the air.
People born before 1970 are considered immune because the virus was circulating widely at that time, and they may have been vaccinated at some point in any case.
Anyone born in 1970 or later should check their vaccination record. Two doses are required to ensure protection.
If you are unsure of your vaccination status, you should contact your healthcare provider by phone or email.
Battigelli said the TBDHU had been expecting to confirm a measles case for about the past 12 months.
The recent case is the only one so far, but she expects to see occasional ones in the coming months as people travel to parts of the province or world where there is more measles activity.
"We're anticipating we're not going to find ourselves in the same circumstances that some health units are finding themselves in in southern Ontario. We anticipate we will likely get sporadic cases. We won't be spared, as evidenced by what happened last Friday."
