Medical experts have disclosed that there is the potential for low-level “sporadic” community transmission of measles in Ontario after the disease was contracted by a vaccinated adult.
While speaking with CTV News Toronto, York Region’s Medial Officer of Health Dr. Barry Pakes stated that this case is rare.
Pakes said: “Measles is extremely transmissible. It’s much more transmissible than even the most transmissible version of COVID-19.”
He noted that the disease can live in a room two hours after someone with measles leaves the room.
He said: “We know a very small degree of measles that has circulated somewhere in the community in the (Greater Toronto Area), potentially in York Region here, which is where this person got it. That means potentially there may be other folks who may have been exposed.”
Public health officials confirmed recently that they were investigating what they labelled a “unique” case of measles in a patient in his 30s.
Pakes said the patient’s symptoms were mild, likely due to his vaccinations.
He said: “We are not seeing widespread community transmission.
“And we don’t expect that because we really do have excellent measles vaccine coverage throughout the entire population.”
