Peel Public Health warns of possible measles exposure on Seattle to Toronto flight

Peel Public Health is warning of possible measles exposure at Toronto Pearson Airport on Saturday as the province deals with the ongoing measles outbreak.

The health unit says the possible exposure happened on Air Canada flight 540 from Seattle and in terminal 1 between 7:30 p.m. and 10 p.m. Anyone who may have been in those areas is asked to look out for measles’ symptoms until the end of the month.

On Wednesday, Premier Doug Ford was asked about the measles outbreak and said low vaccination rates are the problem.

Ontario currently has more measles cases than the United States, with many of the 1,200 cases reported in the Southwestern Public Health region and the Grand Erie Public Health region.

Nearly 87 per cent of the case count are in unvaccinated individuals. Eighty-four people have been hospitalized with the virus and 63 of them are children.

Despite the alarming stats, the province is defending its efforts to fight the disease, with Ford saying Ontario has increased its measles, mumps and rubella vaccine supply to 150,000 units.

READ MORE: Ontario health minister defends province’s approach amid worsening measles outbreak

Ford also says his government has spent two million dollars on a pro-vaccine advertising campaign.

Yesterday the U.S. reported a total of over 1,000 cases, with many of them linked to an outbreak in west Texas.

This is expected to be the worst year for measles in the States since it was declared eliminated in 2000.

The next measles report for Ontario is expected out later today.