Thousands may have been exposed to measles at Brandon Ag Days event, province warns

Thousands of people who attended what's touted as Canada's largest indoor farm show this year may have been exposed to measles, Manitoba public health officials warn.

Anyone who went to this year's Ag Days in Brandon, Man., or visited hotels, restaurants and shops in the city during the three-day event — held Jan. 20-22 — is advised to monitor for symptoms of the highly contagious disease, the province said in a media bulletin Friday afternoon.

Possible exposures may have also occurred in the days leading up or following the event, the bulletin said, meaning exposure was possible at sites not listed in the bulletin, the province said.

About 35,000 people attended the annual event held at the southwestern Manitoba city's Keystone Centre late last month, Ag Days general manager Kristen Phillips said Friday. Nearly 600 exhibitors were part of the event.

Phillips said Manitoba Health notified organizers about the potential exposure Friday morning.

"We are Canada's largest indoor farm show and there was a lot of people in attendance," she said. "We want to make sure that we are open with the information and encourage everyone to monitor and to seek medical attention, if they should show any symptoms."

The province is advising anyone who was at the event centre between 9 a.m. and 7 p.m. on Jan. 20, 21 or 22 to monitor for measles symptoms until Feb. 11, 12 or 13.

People who attended a Jan. 20-22 "agriculture in the classroom" event at the Provincial Exhibition of Manitoba Dome Building in Brandon, also held Jan. 20-22, should also monitor until the same dates, according to the province's bulletin.

Phillips said the province did not provide a number of cases linked to Ag Days.

The bulletin also says anyone at the Great Western Roadhouse, inside the Canad Inns Destination Centre in Brandon, between 5 p.m. and 9 p.m. on Jan. 20 should watch for symptoms until Feb. 11.

The latest bulletin also warns of three other possible recent exposures beyond the Ag Days event:

Earlier on Friday, Manitoba reported the highest monthly case count since the current measles outbreak began early last year.

There were 74 confirmed measles cases in January, according to the weekly update, bringing up the province's total case count up to 393 confirmed and 37 probable cases since February 2025.