The measles outbreak in the Lanaudiere region soared to 119 cases, health officials confirmed Wednesday morning, all from the same religious community at the Holy Spirit Mission.
The Holy Spirit Mission, located in Crabtree near Joliette, does not believe in vaccinations, contrary to all scientific evidence.
"We are not anti-vaccination. For some cases, it is a good idea. We are pro-natural way to live," said Emmanuel Francoeur, a member of the community and whose eight children all caught the measles.
The outbreak is for now limited to the religious community and most of the children at the Mission are home-schooled. But one child who was contagious went to an elementary school for a single day at the Ecole Integrée St-Pierre on Feb. 27, just before spring break vacation.
As soon as health officials learned of the child going to school, measures were taken to limit the spread of the virus. Six nurses will set up an emergency vaccination clinic on Thursday at the elementary school in Joliette.
Starting Thursday morning, the emergency clinic will offer vaccinations to all the children and staff at the school.
The Lanaudiere Health Board identified 114 students and 51 staff members from the elementary school who may not be adequately protected from the measles virus. By Thursday, they will have to provide proof with medical records that they have received the vaccination already, or they can get vaccinated at the school.
Health officials explained that people can accept or refuse the vaccination. However, if they turn it down the child or adult will have to be removed from the school for 14 days.
Among the 119 cases, 12 people had to be hospitalized, two suffered complications with pneumonia, but all the patients have since recovered.
Dr. Joane Désilets of the health board said the first case in the Lanaudiere region was traced back to a child who visited Disneyland in California in January.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control says the Disneyland outbreak has affected 142 people in seven states.
That first case, said Dr. Désilets, infected 18 others by Feb. 21 within large families. She also confirmed that none of them had been vaccinated.
To limit the outbreak, the families had to be quarantined for 14 days.
In addition to the 119 cases, the health board is monitoring 30 other people at the Holy Spirit Mission, who cannot leave their homes for the entire incubation period of two weeks.
Measles was almost eradicated in North America more than a decade ago, but outbreaks are now becoming common mainly because some parents have decided not to vaccinate their children. Children get vaccinated between 12 to 24 months of age, so infants under one are vulnerable to the virus.
The last measles outbreak in Quebec was in 2011 in the Mauricie region.
