A Durham measles exposure investigation has expanded to include an Ethiopian Airlines flight and Toronto Pearson International Airport, adding two settings to the previously announced Ajax hospital warning.
In a November 7 update, Durham Region Health Department said the additional locations are connected to the confirmed case in a local unimmunized child who had recently travelled internationally. The department is investigating and has followed up directly with known contacts in Durham.
This is an expansion of the exposure notice, not an announcement of a second newly confirmed case. All three listed settings carry the same advice to watch for symptoms until November 24, 2026.
Flight and airport added to the notice
The updated Durham measles exposure notice identifies Ethiopian Airlines flight ET552 from Addis Ababa to Toronto, travelling November 2 to 3. The department lists the journey from 11:32 p.m. East Africa Time on November 2 to 7:30 a.m. Eastern Standard Time on November 3.
The second newly listed setting is Terminal 1 at Toronto Pearson International Airport, 6301 Silver Dart Drive in Mississauga. The potential exposure period there was November 3, from 7:30 a.m. to 11 a.m. Eastern Standard Time.
Although those locations are outside Durham, the warning is part of the investigation into the local child’s case. Travellers should compare their own flight and terminal times with the specific windows rather than assume the notice applies to every airport visit.
Ajax hospital window remains unchanged
The notice continues to include the emergency department waiting room at Lakeridge Health Ajax-Pickering, 580 Harwood Avenue South. The potential exposure there was November 3, from 10:40 a.m. to 5 p.m.
That is the same waiting-room location and time period described in the earlier Ajax exposure report. The new development is the addition of the flight and airport, widening the group of people asked to check whether they may have been exposed.
What public health asks potentially exposed people to do
The Health Department advises checking that family members have two doses of measles-containing vaccine, MMR or MMRV. Anyone unsure of their vaccination history should consult their health care provider. Its notice says people born before 1970 likely had measles as children and are protected.
If symptoms develop, the department says to stay home and avoid work or school. Call ahead before visiting a clinic or health care provider, explain that measles may be involved, and wear a well-fitting mask when receiving a medical assessment.
Questions about airport exposures can be directed to a person’s local public health unit or Health 811.
According to the department, symptoms generally begin seven to 21 days after infection. They can 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. Infants younger than one, unimmunized pregnant people and people with weakened immune systems face higher risks of complications.
Sources
- Durham Region Health Department: expanded exposure notice, November 7, 2026
- Region of Durham: current measles information and exposure guidance
Featured image: original conceptual editorial illustration, not a photograph of the flight, airport or a patient.
