Ottawa Public Health investigating first confirmed cases of measles

From Ottawa Public Health

Ottawa Public Health (OPH) is investigating the City’s first confirmed cases of measles since 2019. An adult and a child, both residents of Ottawa, are believed to have acquired measles while traveling internationally. OPH is notifying individuals who may have been exposed to these confirmed cases of measles. This public service announcement is for those who we are unable to reach directly or for whom no contact information is available. At this time, the risk to the general population remains low.

Individuals who visited the following locations on the dates and times below may have been exposed to the measles virus:

• Food Basics located at 1021 Cyrville Road, Ottawa ON

  • WHEN: Monday April 21, 2025, between 5 pm and 8 pm

• Costco located at 1405 Blair Towers Place (near Ogilvie Road), Ottawa ON

  • WHEN: Wednesday April 23, 2025, between 6 pm and 8:45 pm

Individuals who attended the above locations during the specified times may have been exposed to the measles virus and are asked to:

1. Monitor for symptoms until May 12, 2025 (Food Basics exposure) or May 14, 2025 (Costco exposure). 

• Monitor for symptoms of measles for 21 days following your exposure, even if you are vaccinated. Symptoms can appear up to 21 days after exposure but usually occur within 7-12 days.    

• Symptoms include high fever, cough, runny nose, white spots in the mouth, and red watery eyes that may be sensitive to light.

• A few days after symptoms begin, a red rash usually develops that starts on the face and spreads down the body to the arms and legs. This rash usually lasts 4 to 7 days. Symptoms generally last from 1 to 2 weeks.

• If you develop symptoms, call your health care provider and notify them of your recent measles exposure. This will help to protect others and allow health care providers to prepare for your visit. If possible, wear a medical grade mask to the appointment. This applies to any medical facility, including your local emergency department.

• If you do not have a health care provider, please visit Health811 or call 8-1-1 to connect with a registered nurse for free, secure and confidential health advice. Service is available 24/7 and available in English and French, with translation support also offered in other languages.

2. Check your vaccination records for measles-containing vaccines and ensure you are protected.

Measles is a vaccine preventable disease. The measles vaccine is typically noted as “MMR”, “MMRV” or “M” on records.

• Most children in Ontario receive two doses of measles vaccine by age seven based on the current routine vaccine schedule; one at 12 months of age, and another between four to six years of age.  

• People born before 1970 likely had measles in the past and are generally considered immune (protected).  

• People born in, or after 1970, are considered fully protected from a known exposure to measles if they have had two doses of measles vaccine.  

• Check with your health care provider if you are unsure about your vaccination status.  

• Visit OttawaPublicHealth.ca/Measles to learn more about where to access measles-containing and other vaccines.

Measles is a highly contagious viral respiratory infection caused by the measles virus. The measles virus lives in the nose and throat of a person who is infected and can be spread through the air (from breathing, coughing, or sneezing); and can survive in the air or on surfaces for up to 2 hours. The most effective way to protect yourself against measles is to ensure you and your family are vaccinated against the virus. You can learn more about routine measles vaccination in OPH’s Who needs a measles vaccine? resource (PDF) available in English, French, Arabic, Simplified Chinese and Somali.

Please note that this investigation is ongoing; new locations, dates and times may be added, modified or removed as the investigation continues. Ongoing updates will be posted at OttawaPublicHealth.ca/Measles. OPH has set up a phone line at 613-580-6744 that will operate based on call volume from 8:30 am to 4:30 pm Monday to Friday.

Residents can also connect with OPH on Facebook, Bluesky, X (formerly Twitter), and Instagram.

For more information on City programs and services, visit ottawa.ca, call 3-1-1 (TTY: 613-580-2401) or 613-580-2400 to contact the City using Canada Video Relay Service. You can also connect with us through Facebook, Bluesky, X (formerly Twitter) and Instagram.