As local measles cases surge, LHSC tightens rules for hospital entry

Amid a worsening measles outbreak infecting unvaccinated people across southwestern Ontario, London's largest hospital has implemented new restrictions for visitors in a move to curtail the spread.  

Until further notice, visitors to London Health Sciences (LHSC) Children's Hospital and Women's Care program will be required to: 

The changes in entry protocol were announced by the hospital at a Friday afternoon news conference.

Dr. Rod Lim, the hospital's director of pediatric emergency medicine, said the hospital is making the changes "to be proactive" amid a rise in cases. Although the cases are concentrated in counties outside of London, Lim said some of those patients are showing up in London hospitals. 

"We have a large proportion of the measles cases in Canada in the surrounding counties," said Lim. 

Southwest Ontario has seen a sharp spike in measles cases since the new year, with the majority of cases among unvaccinated cases in rural areas outside of London.

Lim said so far, there has not been an outbreak inside the hospital, which he defined as a patient contracting the disease while on site.

"We have had no outbreak of measles within our walls, but we continue to remain quite vigilant," he said.

However, he said the case counts are high enough that the new entry restrictions will be put in place starting immediately and will remain in place until further notice. 

"We understand the burden this places on families and patients but we are trying to be proactive with the information at hand," he said. "As that changes, our policy will change." 

Lim said although many confirmed and suspected measles cases don't have to be treated in hospital,  LHSC is the location where many vulnerable measles patients are treated after they've been exposed. This includes infants. Newborns aren't able to receive a measles vaccination until they reach six months of age. 

Lim said there have been cases in which patients have come to the hospital uncertain of whether or not they have measles, only to test positive after arriving. 

When asked if the cases are showing up in any specific group, Lim said the outbreak is hitting hardest people who have no vaccine protection. 

"Populations that have low rates of vaccinations are particularly prone to measles," he said.