The moment I stepped into Dr. Vera Etches’ office at Ottawa Public Health, I could sense the urgency beneath her calm demeanor. Outside the window, April rain washed over the capital, but inside, the focus was on something invisibly threatening—a measles exposure that had just been confirmed in the city.
“We’re alerting anyone who was at three specific locations last week,” she told me, sliding a paper across her desk. “This is a highly contagious disease that spreads through the air. One case can affect up to 18 unvaccinated people.”
The health unit has issued public notifications about possible measles exposures at three Ottawa locations between April 24 and April 27: Elevation Church on Auriga Drive, Christian Horizons head office on Colonnade Road, and The Olive Tree Christian Faith Assembly on Colonnade Road South.
What struck me most wasn’t just the locations, but the extended timeframes for possible exposure—up to two hours after an infected person has left a space. The virus lingers, suspended in air particles, waiting for new hosts.
“People who were at these locations during these times should monitor for symptoms until May 18,” Dr. Etches explained. The symptoms begin innocuously enough—fever, runny nose, cough, tiny white spots inside the mouth. Days later comes the telltale rash that spreads downward from the face.
Ottawa Public Health has not revealed whether the infected individual was vaccinated, traveled internationally, or how many people might have been exposed. Privacy concerns remain paramount, even as public health teams work to trace contacts.
When I spoke with Dr. Julie Bettinger, a vaccine safety scientist at BC Children’s Hospital, she emphasized why health authorities respond so vigorously to even a single case.
“Before widespread vaccination, measles killed approximately 2.6 million people globally each year,” she told me via phone. “We sometimes forget how dangerous these diseases were because vaccination has been so successful.”
That success story, however, is under threat. According to the Public Health Agency of Canada, measles cases are rising nationally after years of decline. In the first three months of 2024 alone, Canada confirmed 17 cases—more than double the entire previous year.
The World Health Organization has documented similar alarming trends globally, with measles cases increasing by 18% and deaths by 43% in 2022 compared to 2021.
I visited Westboro Family Medicine Clinic where Dr. Alykhan Abdulla was discussing vaccines with a young family in his office. “Measles isn’t just a rash,” he explained to them. “It can lead to pneumonia, encephalitis—inflammation of the brain—and even death. About one in five unvaccinated people who get measles will be hospitalized.”
The clinic walls displayed posters showing vaccination schedules: two doses of the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine are recommended for children, with the first dose at 12 months and the second between 18 months and school entry.
When I asked about vaccine hesitancy, Dr. Abdulla sighed. “The science is clear, but misinformation spreads faster than measles sometimes. We’re seeing parents delay or refuse vaccines based on information that’s simply not supported by evidence.”
Outside the clinic, I met Miranda Chen, a mother of two who had just scheduled vaccinations for her youngest child.
“My grandmother told me stories about children in her village who died from these diseases,” she said, adjusting her mask before heading to her car. “When she learned vaccines existed in Canada, she couldn’t understand why anyone would refuse them.”
Dr. Etches emphasized that anyone born before 1970 is generally considered immune through natural exposure. Those born after 1970 should have received two doses of the MMR vaccine.
“People who were in those exposed locations and are unsure of their vaccination status should check their records,” she advised. “If you develop symptoms, call your healthcare provider before visiting in person.”
The situation in Ottawa reflects a troubling pattern I’ve been tracking across Canada. In March, Toronto Public Health investigated a confirmed case in a passenger who traveled through Pearson International Airport. British Columbia reported several cases linked to travelers. Manitoba has seen cases this year as well.
What makes measles particularly concerning is its reproductive number—the average number of people one infected person can transmit the virus to in a susceptible population. For measles, that number hovers between 12 and 18, making it one of the most contagious infectious diseases known.
“This is why we aim for 95% vaccination coverage to maintain herd immunity,” explained Dr. Bettinger. “When coverage drops below that threshold, outbreaks become possible.”
As I left Ottawa Public Health headquarters, I noticed the evening news crews setting up for their broadcasts. The rain had stopped, but the city seemed quieter than usual, perhaps already responding to the warning.
For those who might have been exposed, the waiting game has begun—monitoring for symptoms while public health officials continue their painstaking work of contact tracing.
The measles virus, though invisible, has made its presence known in Ottawa. How far it spreads now depends largely on one factor that was repeated to me by every health professional I spoke with: vaccination remains our most powerful tool against a disease we once nearly eliminated.
