2 cases of measles confirmed in P.E.I., with many public exposure sites listed

Two new cases of measles have been confirmed in Prince Edward Island, with the people involved unrelated to each other and linked to possible public exposure sites, the province's Chief Public Health Officer says. 

In a news release issued late Thursday afternoon, the CPHO said the individuals were "unvaccinated or partially vaccinated."  

The news release listed the following public exposure sites: 

Until Thursday, the Island had not recorded any new cases of measles since April. At that time, Health P.E.I. confirmed two infections — the province's first reported instances of the disease since 2013 — but said no public exposure sites had been identified.

The two adults who tested positive in April had travelled together to an area in Canada where there were outbreaks, the CPHO said.

Health officials ask that people reach out to the CPHO if they and/or a depedent was on June 25 flight or at one of the exposure locations during the times specified, and any of the following apply: 

Islanders can reach the Chief Public Health Office by emailing outbreak@ihis.org or calling 1-800-958-6400 to arrange for post-exposure treatment. People are asked to provide their full name, date of birth, contact information and location at which they were exposed. 

Anyone who is not immune to the disease from a past case or vaccine, and has been at one of the identified exposure locations, must stay away from public settings during the contagious stage, the CPHO said. The exclusion period begins five days after the last known exposure to measles and ends 16 days after the start of the exclusion period.

Public settings include schools, childcare facilities, post-secondary institutions, workplaces and any other public or group environment. 

The measles vaccine is part of the province's childhood vaccine program, administered at 12 months and again at 18 months.

The CPHO's current recommendations for vaccination are as follows:

Symptoms of measles include fever, cough, sore eyes and a red rash that begins on the head and spreads down to the trunk and limbs. Serious complications can occur, such as blindness, viral meningitis or pneumonia — or even death, as was the case recently for two unvaccinated children in Texas.

The measles virus spreads through the air when a person who is infected breathes, coughs, sneezes or talks. It may also spread through direct contact with droplets from the nose and throat of a person who is infected, according to the CPHO.

The measles virus can stay in the air or on surfaces for up to two hours after a person who is infected has left the space. Someone with measles is contagious for four days before the rash is noticeable, and for up to four days after the rash occurs.