Public Health is investigating a confirmed travel-related case of measles and asking people who may have been exposed and notice measles symptoms to call for further instructions.

Nova Scotia Image/Qyd
Nova Scotia
Image/Qyd

People at the following locations, on the dates and in the time-period specified, may have been exposed to measles:

  • WestJet flight WS254 – departed Toronto on March 10 at 9:35 p.m. and arrived in Halifax at 12:32 a.m. on March 11.
  • Arrivals area at Halifax Stanfield International Airport – March 11 from 12:30 a.m. to 3 a.m.
  • St. Jerome’s Catholic Church, West Caledonia – March 11 from 1:45 p.m. to 5 p.m.
  • Emergency department at South Shore Regional Hospital – from March 12 at 2:30 p.m. to March 15 at 9 p.m.

Those exposed at the above locations may develop symptoms between now and April 5, 2017.

Symptoms of measles include:

  • fever, cough, runny nose
  • red eyes
  • a red blotchy rash on the face, which spreads down the body
  • sleepiness
  • irritability (feeling cranky or in a bad mood)
  • small white spots may also show up inside the mouth and throat

If you have symptoms of measles, you should:

  • Call Public Health at 1-844-856-3677.
  • Call 811 for advice from a registered nurse.
  • If you need to see a healthcare provider for assessment, such as your family doctor, please call ahead. Healthcare providers need to take special precautions to protect other patients from being exposed.

Measles is a viral illness and most people fully recover within two to three weeks. However, measles can have serious complications, which are more likely in infants, pregnant women and those with weakened immune systems.

Public Health has been directly notifying others such as family members and friends who are known to have had close contact with the case.

This travel-related case is not linked to the outbreak that affected seven people in the province last month.

Nova Scotia residents born after 1970 are eligible to receive two doses of measles-containing vaccine at no cost through the publicly funded immunization program. Individuals who have not had two doses of measles-containing vaccine should arrange immunization through their primary care provider as per the NS Immunization Schedule.