Durham Region Public Health is warning residents may have been exposed to measles in the region and at Toronto Pearson International Airport.
In a news release Thursday, the Department of Public Health announced the first confirmed case of measles in the region. The patient was an adult who had traveled and was currently recuperating at home.
The statement said people on board Royal Jordanian Flight RJ271, which departed Jordan on March 28 and landed at Toronto Pearson International Airport at 5:24 p.m. the same day, may have been exposed to the virus. It is said that there is a sex.
People who were in Terminal 3 at Toronto Pearson International Airport between 5:24 p.m. and 8:45 p.m. on March 28 may also have been infected, the release said.
“At this time, the Department of Health is not aware of any additional exposure sites in the Durham Region,” the department said.
Public Health said anyone with a weakened immune system is at risk of complications, including infants and pregnant women.
Durham Region Public Health is reminding residents to check their vaccination records to ensure they are protected against measles. People born after 1970 must have received two doses of measles vaccine. Children are usually vaccinated at 12 months of age and again between the ages of 4 and 6. Measles vaccination is free in Ontario.
Public Health is advising people who are concerned they may have been exposed to measles to monitor for symptoms that may develop within 7 to 21 days of exposure to measles.
Symptoms include high fever, cough, runny nose, small spots with a white center inside the mouth, eye pain, sensitivity to light, and a red patchy rash.
Durham Region Public Health advises that anyone who is unsure whether they have been vaccinated against measles should contact their health care provider by phone or email.
It also advises people with measles symptoms not to go to work or school. These people should also call ahead before visiting a health care provider so the provider can take precautions to prevent the spread of the virus.