St. Anthony’s General Hospital visitors may have been exposed to measles
- Anyone who was present in the emergency department waiting room at St.
- Early signs of measles typically include a cough, fever, runny nose, and conjunctivitis, commonly known as pink eye.
- Provincial data updated on Friday and covering numbers up to September 26 shows that Manitoba has recorded 612 confirmed measles cases and 78 probable cases so far this...
Anyone who was present in the emergency department waiting room at St. Anthony’s General Hospital in The Pas on Monday, September 28, between 8:20 a.m. and 10:35 a.m. may have been exposed to measles, provincial health officials warned in a release issued on Friday. health authorities are advising individuals who visited the facility during that specific time frame to monitor themselves closely for symptoms of the highly contagious airborne virus. Patients who were in the waiting area should also check their personal immunization records to verify that their vaccinations remain up to date.
Measles Symptoms Include Red Rash and Respiratory Signs
Early signs of measles typically include a cough, fever, runny nose, and conjunctivitis, commonly known as pink eye. Approximately two to three days after those initial signs appear, patients usually develop small white spots on the inside of their mouth, followed soon after by a characteristic red rash spreading across the face and body. Infected individuals can transmit the virus to others starting four days before the rash emerges and continuing for four days afterward. The illness spreads through microscopic droplets released into the air when an infected person talks, coughs, or sneezes. Because the virus can linger suspended in the air for up to two hours, public health agencies emphasize that immunization remains the sole effective protection against contracting the disease.
Tracking Measles Cases Across Manitoba and Canada
Provincial data updated on Friday and covering numbers up to September 26 shows that Manitoba has recorded 612 confirmed measles cases and 78 probable cases so far this year. The pace of transmission has slowed considerably since a peak in February, which saw 177 confirmed cases and 34 probable cases in a single month. Monthly tallies have dropped steadily since that peak, with only two confirmed cases and zero probable cases reported during August. Nationally, Canada has logged 1,120 cases overall this year as of September 19, meaning Manitoba accounts for more than half of the country’s total burden. Federal figures also indicate that no new measles cases were reported anywhere in Canada during the week of September 13 to 19.
Unvaccinated Patients Dominate Manitoba Measles Hospitalizations
Since the outbreak began in February 2025, the province reports that 52 people have required hospitalization due to measles. That total includes 26 children under the age of 10, with six patients sick enough to require admission to intensive care units. Provincial data indicates that the vast majority of hospitalized patients had either never received a measles vaccine or had an entirely unknown immunization history. No deaths have been attributed to measles in Manitoba during the course of the ongoing outbreak.