New case of the measles detected in unvaccinated Montreal child

The child had attended school on Jan. 29, consulted a medical clinic on Jan. 31 and visited the emergency departments of both the Montreal Children’s and Ste-Justine hospitals from Jan. 31 to Feb. 2.

Published Feb 07, 2024 • Last updated 38 minutes ago • 1 minute read

The skin of a patient after three days of measles infection is seen in this handout from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Photo by Handout /Getty Images

Montreal public health authorities have detected a case of the measles in a child who had recently returned from a trip to Africa.

Officials are now tracing the child’s contacts, seeking to reach anyone who may have been near the individual when they were contagious — that is, from Jan. 29 to Feb. 6.

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The child, who was not vaccinated, had attended school on Jan. 29, consulted a medical clinic on Jan. 31 and visited the emergency departments of both the Montreal Children’s and Ste-Justine hospitals from Jan. 31 to Feb. 2. The incubation period for the measles is seven to 14 days from the moment of exposure to the onset of symptoms like a high fever, cough, runny nose and red, watery eyes.

A prominent rash then appears two to four days later, with flat red spots that appear on the face at the hairline and spread downward to the neck, trunk, arms, legs and feet, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in the United States. The contagious period usually begins four days after the appearance of a rash and generally lasts four days afterward.

Montreal public health officials warn that it’s possible that more cases of the measles may occur in unvaccinated individuals from now to Feb. 27. Physicians are encouraged to report all suspected cases of the highly infectious disease to the Montreal Public Health Department without waiting for laboratory results.

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