Reports of a potential measles case at an Orillia child-care facility sparked concern when it was posted online on the weekend.
Pam Spurr, area supervisor with Wee Watch Orillia, sent an email to parents advising them “a child within our agency has a reported case of measles.”
“This child may or may not (have) been in contact with your child,” she wrote.
However, it might have been a false alarm. In a subsequent email, Spurr wrote, “I was being proactive with my recent email regarding measles but I may have been a little premature (in) raising alarm.”
Spurr had informed the Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit of the concern, but the health unit has said there are no lab-confirmed cases of measles in the region.
Jillian Fenik, manager of the health unit’s infectious diseases program, said Wee Watch was following protocol when alerting the agency to the potential case of measles. It’s required by law to do so.
“There are various things that lead people to believe that they have certain illnesses. I don’t know the particulars of this (case),” Fenick said, adding, “Dr. Google can sometimes cause a lot of anxiety.”
When a case is reported, the health unit tries to speak with the family of the affected person and follows up with that person’s health-care provider.
Fenick said she could “not speak to specific cases” the health unit investigates, but she stressed there are no lab-confirmed cases in the region.
The last confirmed case was in 2014.
Fenick said this is a good opportunity to remind people to check their children’s immunization records and make sure they’re up to date on their vaccinations. She said a child who has received two doses of the measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine will be well-protected against those diseases.
Find out more about measles here.
