Public health officials flag measles case in Montreal

Montreal public health officials say a case of measles has been reported in Montreal.

The case was confirmed and signalled to Montreal Public Health on Tuesday.

In a news release on Thursday, the department said the person affected probably caught the virus during a trip to Africa.

While that person was likely contagious, they went to a school on Jan. 29, to a medical clinic on Jan. 31, then to the emergency rooms of two different pediatric hospitals from Jan. 31 to Feb.1 and again on Feb. 2.

Public health officials are tracing the person's contacts and are asking doctors to flag likely cases of measles immediately — before waiting for positive laboratory results.

Measles is highly contagious and has a long incubation period. Other cases of measles could appear between now and Feb. 27, Montreal public health officials said.

Its symptoms include fever, cough, and a bumpy, red rash.

The two-dose vaccine against measles is more than 95 per cent effective at preventing infection, public health said.