Ontario is now thought to be measles-free but in Quebec the number of cases has mushroomed from 32 to 119. A serious breach in efforts to protect school children occurred in the town of Joliette when a student who had the disease infected dozens of unvaccinated kids in a single day. All of Quebec’s cases have occurred among unvaccinated children and adults. In Ontario the health department has been counting the days from the last outbreak and now concludes that the incubation period for any more cases as expired. That’s 21 days at a maximum. Unless there are unreported cases somewhere, the outbreak should be over, says Health Minister Dr. Eric Hoskins. In Joliette there are 114 students and 51 staff members at the school who have been identified as not fully vaccinated. Health officials said that parents and staff members have been notified of the exposure and that vaccinations will be offered at the school today (Thursday,March 12, 2015). Those who deny vaccination will be required to stay home for two weeks. All 119 cases are connected to a measles outbreak in California’s Disneyland, which began in December 2014, according to the California Department of Public Health.
