Southwestern Public Health launches online assessment tool following measles outbreak

Local public health unit starts online tool to help people in the Oxford, Elgin and St. Thomas area assess their exposure to measles following outbreaks

Following a surge in local measles cases, Southwestern Public Health (SWPH) has launched a new online tool to assess measles exposure risks, providing information about known exposure sites, timelines, and guidance about whether you may be at risk of infection.

On January 28, SWPH notified the community that the current measles situation in the region is considered an outbreak.

“The recent exposures at local health care settings put a significant strain on our Infectious Disease team to connect with people who were exposed. This tool supports their efforts to get information out quickly when we have known measles exposures to report,” said Dr. Ninh Tran, Medical Officer of Health.

The tool was adapted from a similar one created by Hamilton Public Health.

Currently, SWPH has determined that the following locations and times may have presented risk of exposure to measles:

- Woodstock Hospital - Emergency Department (310 Juliana Drive, Woodstock) between 9:30 p.m. on January 15 and 1:44 a.m. on January 16

- Alexandra Hospital - Emergency Department (29 Noxon Street, Ingersoll) between 11:57 p.m. on January 17 and 2:13 a.m. on January 18

- Tillsonburg District Memorial Hospital - Emergency Department (167 Rolph Street, Tillsonburg) between 9:00 a.m. and 1:00 p.m. on January 25

- St. Thomas-Elgin General Hospital - Emergency Department (189 Elm Street, St. Thomas) between 4:30 p.m. and 6:52 p.m. on January 26

- Tillsonburg District Memorial Hospital - Emergency Department (167 Rolph Street, Tillsonburg) between 10:37 p.m. on January 26 and 12:45 a.m. on January 27

- Woodstock General Hospital - Emergency Department (310 Juliana Drive, Woodstock) between 10:41 a.m. and 1:15 p.m. on January 27

- Tillsonburg District Memorial Hospital - Emergency Department (167 Rolph Street, Tillsonburg) between 10:00 p.m. on January 27 and 12:15 a.m. on January 28

Anyone that may have been exposed (even briefly) born after 1970 who is not up-to-date with vaccinations is asked to call public health at 1-800-922-0096 ext. 1232