Measles in Montreal: Case reported at Rialto Theatre

A case of the measles has been detected at Montreal's Rialto Theatre, according to the Department of Public Health. (Martin Rioux/CTV News)

A case of the measles has been detected at Montreal’s Rialto Theatre, according to the Department of Public Health.

Anyone who attended the FEVERUP ballet performance on Feb. 21 between 8 p.m. and midnight is being asked to isolate themselves if they are not already vaccinated against the highly contagious disease.

• READ MORE: 30 measles cases now confirmed in Quebec

“We don’t have a list of the [people] who were in the hall at the time,” Dr. Caroline Quach, a microbiologist and infectious diseases specialist, told Noovo Info. “If they are not vaccinated, [they should] remain isolated until day 15 after contact and watch for symptoms.”

These could include fever, runny nose, conjunctivitis and cough.

Rialto Theatre President Ezio Carosielli tells Noovo Info that he is closely following public health’s guidelines.

“We notified our employees, and the producer of the FEVERUP show communicated by email with all customers,” he said. “We have not been notified of any cases in our team since Feb. 21.”

This comes as the number of measles cases continues to rise in Quebec, with public health reporting at least 30 confirmed cases since the outbreak began last December.

• READ MORE: Quebec pharmacists inviting people to use pharmacies for vaccinations to avoid ER overcrowding

The most cases are in the Laurentians, at 23; Montreal, Laval and the Montérégie have each reported fewer than five cases to date.

Most of the cases so far are in young adults aged between 25 and 35.

“One sick person in an unprotected group could infect 12 to 16 others,” said Quach. “We can see that there is local transmission, and we would have hoped to have had high enough vaccination coverage so that when a case occurs [...] we can limit the spread to one person.”

The measles vaccine is usually given to children at age 12 months, with a second dose at 18 months or before school entry.

• READ MORE: Canada’s top doctor concerned about measles outbreaks in Ontario, Quebec

Quach is urging parents of young children to get their children vaccinated if they have not already.