Montreal public health warns of measles exposure at airport and hospital
A contagious child was at the airport and a hospital emergency department, prompting isolation orders for unvaccinated contacts.
MONTREAL · Montreal public health officials have issued a warning about potential measles exposure at the city's international airport and a major hospital. A child with measles was at Montreal-Trudeau International Airport on Oct. 9 and later visited the emergency department at Sainte-Justine hospital on Oct. 10 while contagious. Quebec's public health authority said people who may have come into contact with the child should monitor for symptoms and seek preventive treatment if they are not vaccinated. Anyone who was exposed and is not protected against measles must isolate, according to public health guidance.
Authorities said some people who may have been exposed could receive a text message or phone call from the regional public health department with recommendations. They advised the public to check the list of possible exposure sites regularly, as information may change as investigations continue. The child was in the airport late Friday and in the hospital early on Saturday while still contagious, the health authority announced. Measles is a highly contagious disease, and people at the locations during the specified periods may be considered contacts of a confirmed case.
This new case follows the most recent measles outbreak in Quebec, which ended in August after 28 reported cases. Federal data shows 1,121 measles cases have been reported in Canada this year as of Sept. 26. Canada lost its measles-free status in November 2025, a designation it had held since 1998. The Pan American Health Organization revoked the status after confirming the same strain of the virus had been transmitted in Canada for over a year. Measles is an extremely contagious disease that can lead to serious complications, including blindness, encephalitis, pneumonia and even death. The main symptoms are a high fever, cough, runny nose and a rash that starts on the face and spreads to the rest of the body.
With files from The Canadian Press, Narcity and Toronto Star