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Ottawa Public Health (OPH) says people who visited a number of restaurants, grocery stores and a pharmacy in the city in early October may have been exposed to measles.
Thursday’s warning concerns eight different locations where people might have been exposed to the highly contagious viral infection:
The Tim Hortons at 3224 Hawthorne Rd. near Stevenage Drive on Thursday, Oct. 1, between 5:30 and 8 p.m.Your Independent Grocer at the Elmvale Acres Shopping Centre on Friday, Oct. 2, between 3:15 and 5:45 p.m.The Rexall drug store at the Elmvale Acres Shopping Centre on Oct. 2, between 3:45 and 6 p.m.The Metro grocery store at 2261 Walkley Rd. near St. Laurent Boulevard on Oct. 2, between 4 and 6:15 p.m.The Subway at 3190 Hawthorne Rd. near Stevenage Drive on Oct. 2, between 5:30 and 8 p.m.The McDonald’s at 1796 St. Laurent Blvd. near Industrial Avenue on Oct. 2, between 5:30 and 8 p.m.Ruby’s Restaurant at 10 York St. in the ByWard Market on Oct. 2, between 6:30 and 9 p.m.The Tim Hortons at 2800 Lancaster Rd. near Walkley on Sunday, Oct. 3, between 5:30 and 8 p.m.
Two Ottawa residents contracted measles after being exposed outside of Ontario, OPH said. It said it has notified any contacts it can trace, and is issuing a public advisory to reach others.
OPH recommends anyone who was at those locations at those times check their measles vaccination status and monitor for symptoms including fever, cough and runny nose, irritated eyes, white spots in the mouth or a red rash that starts on the face.
Symptoms typically appear within 21 days, so anyone who attended the locations above should remain vigilant until Oct. 22 to 24.
There are specific instructions about what people should do if they develop symptoms within that time frame.
Vaccines are the most effective way to protect against measles, OPH said.