Since last October, Canada has seen a comeback of measles, mainly affecting Ontario and Alberta.Geoff Robins/The Canadian Press
A baby born prematurely and infected with measles has died in Southwestern Ontario, the first death associated with the outbreak that began in the province last fall.
Kieran Moore, Ontario’s Chief Medical Officer of Health, said the baby contracted the virus in utero. The mother was not vaccinated against measles, according to a statement released on Thursday.
“While measles may have been a contributing factor in both the premature birth and death, the infant also faced other serious medical complications unrelated to the virus,” said Dr. Moore.
This marks the first death in Canada this year linked to the current outbreak. The country recorded a death related to measles last year in an unvaccinated child under the age of five from Hamilton. That was the province’s first death in decades.
Measles was declared eliminated in Canada in 1998 but has made a comeback globally and domestically, driven in part by lower childhood vaccination rates. Ontario and Alberta are facing the brunt of Canada’s current outbreak, which began last October.
More than 2,000 people have been infected in Ontario, according to an update posted on Thursday from Public Health Ontario. This is an increase of 121 cases since last week, bringing the total to 2,009 (1,729 are confirmed). There have been 140 people hospitalized, nine of whom have required intensive care.
In Alberta, there were nearly 750 confirmed cases as of Wednesday.
Children who have not received the measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine make up the majority of cases in both provinces. Fifty hospitalizations have so far been reported in Alberta, nine requiring intensive care.
Public-health officials and doctors have been warning for months about the risk of measles to vulnerable populations, particularly those who are pregnant, newborns and immunocompromised patients. The more cases, the more likely a death would occur, some warned.
Ninh Tran, medical officer of health at Southwestern Public Health unit in Ontario, confirmed in a statement on Thursday that the infant who died was from his public-health region. It is the hardest-hit area in Ontario with 36.1 per cent of all cases.
Dr. Tran said it is devastating news for the community and underscores the importance of vaccination, especially among pregnant individuals. A measles infection can increase the risk of miscarriage and preterm birth, and it can cause low birth weight for the baby.
“Measles can also cause pneumonia, brain swelling and death, with infants and immunocompromised individuals especially vulnerable to these risks. The safest and most effective way to protect yourself from measles is through immunization,” he said.
The Ontario Ministry of Health and the Southwestern Public Health unit did not provide any additional personal or medical details about the mother and the baby to protect the family’s privacy. Dr. Moore’s office did not respond to an interview request.
With measles making a comeback, doctors race to fight a disease many have only seen in textbooks
Ontario Health Minister Sylvia Jones, at an unrelated press conference on Thursday, said news of the death is “deeply disturbing” and serves as a reminder to people of the risks of not getting vaccinated.
“We’ve had measles vaccine in Canada and around the world for almost five decades, and yet we still have individuals who, for many different reasons, are choosing not to get vaccinated,” she said. “I hope today’s terrible news really refocuses people’s conversations with their primary care practitioners.”
Ms. Jones did not announce any new measures to curb the spread of measles. Instead, she reiterated steps already taken by the Ontario government, including its continuing multimillion-dollar social-media campaign that encourages vaccination and a directive to public-health units to increase childhood immunization.
The government and Dr. Moore have faced calls, including from the opposition parties, to be more pro-active to increase immunization.
Dr. Moore, in his statement, stressed that the MMR vaccine is safe and effective to protect against the highly contagious disease.
“I urge everyone, but especially those who may become pregnant, to ensure they have received two doses of the MMR vaccine, which will protect both a parent and baby,” he said. “This vaccine has been safely used for over 50 years and is highly effective. Two doses provide nearly 100-per-cent protection.”