Measles case prompts exposure warning for Ajax hospital waiting room

Durham Region Health Department is investigating confirmed measles in an unimmunized local child following recent international travel. People who visited Lakeridge Health Ajax-Pickering’s emergency department waiting room on November 3, 2026, between 10:40 a.m. and 5 p.m. may have been exposed, the department warned.

The department advises anyone who was in the waiting room at 580 Harwood Ave. S. in Ajax during that period to watch for symptoms until November 24, which is 21 days after the possible exposure. Health officials are also following up directly with known contacts in Durham Region.

Infants younger than one year, unimmunized pregnant people and people with weakened immune systems face an increased risk of complications, according to the department.

According to the department, measles is highly contagious and spreads easily among people who have not been immunized or previously had the illness. The virus can remain in the air or on surfaces for up to two hours.

Symptoms typically begin seven to 21 days after infection, according to the department. Possible symptoms include fever of at least 38.3 C, cough, runny nose, red and watery eyes, sensitivity to light, and a red rash lasting four to seven days.

Anyone who develops symptoms should stay home and avoid work or school, the department advises. It also asks patients to call ahead before visiting a clinic or primary care provider, explain the possible measles exposure, and wear a well-fitting mask during a medical assessment.

The department advises anyone who may have been exposed to confirm that they and their family members have received two doses of measles vaccine, either MMR or MMRV. People unsure of their vaccination status should check with their health-care provider, the department says.

People born before 1970 would likely have had measles as children and are protected, according to the department.