Quebec measles outbreak grows to 11 cases; officials warn of thousands of exposures

The Quebec government says thousands of people might have been exposed to measles at a shopping mall north of Montreal earlier this month, as an outbreak of the highly contagious disease continues to grow.

Officials say the current outbreak that began last month has now reached 11 cases.

The Health Department has listed dozens of potential exposure sites in Montreal and in suburbs to the north and south of the city.

They say one of the recently discovered cases visited the Carrefour Laval shopping centre on Jan. 7 while contagious, potentially exposing thousands of people.

People who are vaccinated or otherwise considered protected are unlikely to get measles, but all those who have been exposed are nevertheless asked to monitor for symptoms that include fever, runny nose, cough, conjunctivitis and sensitivity to light.

Those who are unprotected are asked to isolate.

People who are pregnant, immunocompromised or have children under the age of one should call the 811 health line after exposure because those groups are considered at greater risk of serious complications.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 13, 2025.