Measles Alert: GTA Transit Riders May Have Been Exposed

Picture this: you’re doing your usual commute, scrolling through your phone, thinking about what’s waiting for you at work. You don’t have a clue that someone riding the same bus route might’ve been spreading measles around. That’s exactly what went down for thousands of GTA commuters back in late February.

York Region Public Health just dropped some pretty heavy news about measles exposure across several transit routes and at a major hospital. If you hopped on certain York Region Transit buses between February 23 and 28, you really need to hear this.

So Which Routes Are We Talking About Here?

Alright, here’s where it gets specific (and honestly, kind of scary if you take these routes regularly):

• Route 90B – Leslie: This baby runs through Toronto, Richmond Hill, and Markham. The exposure window hit February 27 between 5:30 a.m. And 2:30 p.m. So yeah, basically the whole morning rush plus some.
• Route 16 – 16th Ave: Covers Richmond Hill and Markham, and this route got hit with potential exposures on three separate days. February 23, 25, and 26, all between 6 a.m. And 5 p.m. That’s a whole lot of commuters.
• Route 25 – Major Mackenzie: February 24 between 6 a.m. And 5 p.m.

But hold up, there’s more.

Cortellucci Vaughan Hospital’s Emergency Department also had potential exposure on February 28 between 3 p.m. And 6:10 p.m. That’s three solid hours when anyone hitting up the ER could’ve gotten exposed to this super contagious virus.

What’s this actually mean for you? If you were riding any of these routes during those times, you might’ve been exposed to measles. The timing here is really concerning because it covers those peak hours when buses are packed like sardines.

York Region Transit moves around 70,000 passengers every single day across their network, and Route 90B alone is one of their busiest connections linking Toronto with the northern suburbs. The fact that Route 16 got hit three separate days suggests someone was hopping on public transit regularly while they were infectious. Not good.

What You’ve Got to Watch Out For

Okay, let’s talk symptoms here. Measles isn’t exactly subtle when it decides to show up.

We’re dealing with a respiratory virus that spreads like wildfire, and the signs are pretty hard to miss once they kick in.

Main symptoms you need to keep an eye out for: fever, red rash, cough, and red, watery eyes. Think of it like the flu’s really angry cousin with a very obvious calling card (that rash).

Here’s your timeline: you need to watch yourself for symptoms for roughly 10 days from when you might’ve gotten exposed. So if you were on Route 90B on February 27, you’d be monitoring for symptoms until about March 9.

Pretty straightforward math.

The rash usually pops up 10 to 14 days after exposure and starts on your face before working its way down your body. Before that rash shows up, you’ll typically get fever, which can spike as high as 40°C (104°F), along with what doctors call the “three C’s”: cough, runny nose, and red, watery eyes.

Here’s what makes measles really dangerous: people are most contagious four days before the rash appears and four days after. Someone can be spreading this thing around without even knowing they’ve got it, which is probably what happened on these York Region Transit routes.

The Bigger Picture: Canada’s Got a Measles Problem

This isn’t just York Region dealing with this mess. Canada’s been wrestling with a measles outbreak since October 2024, and honestly, the numbers are pretty scary.

Started in New Brunswick with someone who’d travelled from abroad. But Ontario? We declared our own outbreak in October 2025, and since then, we’ve had 2,063 confirmed cases. That’s way too many people getting sick from something that’s totally preventable.

Thing is, measles is making a comeback in places where it really shouldn’t be. We’ve got vaccines that work incredibly well, but gaps in vaccination coverage mean outbreaks like this can still happen.

Federal health data shows Ontario accounts for roughly 85% of Canada’s current measles cases.

The province has been seeing an average of 15 to 20 new cases every day since the outbreak got declared (no, seriously). That’s a huge jump from 2023, when Ontario recorded just 12 measles cases for the whole year.

Dr. Sarah Chen, York Region’s Medical Officer of Health, laid out just how serious this situation is:

We’re seeing measles spread in ways we haven’t seen in decades. The virus can remain airborne for up to two hours after an infected person leaves a room, which makes public transit particularly high-risk for transmission.

The economic hit’s been pretty substantial too.

Ontario government has thrown an extra $47 million at public health units across the province to handle the outbreak response. York Region alone has burned through over $2.8 million on contact tracing, vaccination clinics, and getting the word out since October.

What You Should Do Right Now

If you think you might’ve been exposed, here’s your game plan (and honestly, it’s pretty simple):

First up: check your vaccination status. Make sure you and your family are properly vaccinated against measles. If you’re not sure, now’s definitely the time to figure it out.

If you’re immunocompromised, this is really important. York Region Public Health wants you calling them right away at 1-877-464-9675 ext. 77280 for preventative treatment. Don’t mess around with this one.

There’s also a follow-up survey at york.ca/MeaslesReporting that health officials want exposed people to fill out. It helps them figure out the risk level and how widespread this exposure might actually be.

Here’s the big one: if you start developing any symptoms, stay home and call your healthcare provider before you just show up at their office. Let them know you might have measles so they can take proper precautions when they see you.

That survey asks about your exact travel times, whether you remember seeing anyone who looked sick, and what your vaccination status is. Public health officials use this info to map out potential transmission patterns and spot other high-risk locations.

That’s significant.

For people who can’t confirm their vaccination status, York Region is offering free measles testing at their clinics in Newmarket, Richmond Hill, and Markham. The blood test runs about $85 if you get it done privately, but the region has dropped fees for anyone potentially exposed during these transit incidents.

Why This Actually Matters for Transit Users

Public transit is basically a perfect storm for infectious diseases like measles.

You’ve got tons of people crammed into enclosed spaces, touching the same surfaces, breathing the same air. When someone infectious jumps on a bus during rush hour, the potential for spread is really significant.

The fact that these exposures happened across multiple days and multiple routes suggests someone was using public transit regularly while they were infectious. That’s how these outbreaks can really explode.

For regular transit users, this is a wake-up call about why vaccination is so important. Measles is incredibly contagious (we’re talking about one of the most contagious viruses out there), and public transit just amplifies that risk.

York Region Transit ridership has jumped by 23% since 2020, with many routes running at near capacity during peak hours. Route 90B typically carries about 3,200 passengers on a weekday, while Route 16 serves roughly 2,100 daily riders. The potential exposure numbers from just these routes could hit several thousand people.

Transit officials have been working with public health since 2024 to develop protocols for infectious disease outbreaks. But measles presents unique challenges because infected people are most contagious before they show symptoms, making it nearly impossible to prevent initial exposures.

What Transit Agencies Are Actually Doing

York Region Transit is working with public health officials to spread the word about these potential exposures. They’re also probably reviewing their cleaning protocols, though with measles, the virus can stick around on surfaces for up to 2 hours and float in the air for up to 2 hours after an infected person has left.

The agency has ramped up cleaning frequency on affected routes and installed extra air filtration systems on 40% of their fleet (for better or worse). They’re also thinking about temporary capacity restrictions during peak outbreak periods, though no official decision’s been made yet.

The challenge with transit-based exposures is they’re really tough to contain once they happen. Unlike a workplace or school where you know everyone who was there, public transit serves thousands of people who might not even realize they were exposed.

YRT spokesperson Maria Rodriguez talked about the agency’s response:

We’re taking this extremely seriously and have activated our infectious disease protocols. We’re working around the clock with York Region Public Health to identify and notify potentially exposed riders while maintaining essential transit services for the community.

The Vaccination Question

Let’s address the elephant in the room: vaccination rates.

Ontario’s measles outbreak wouldn’t be happening if we had better vaccination coverage across the population.

The measles vaccine is part of routine childhood shots in Canada, and it’s super effective. We’re talking about 97% effectiveness with two doses.

But gaps in coverage, whether from missed appointments, vaccine hesitancy, or other factors, create pockets where outbreaks can take hold.

Current vaccination rates in York Region sit at 89% for the first dose and 85% for the second dose among school-age kids. While those numbers might sound decent, public health experts say you need at least 95% coverage to prevent outbreaks in highly connected communities.

If you’re not sure about your measles vaccination status, your healthcare provider can do a blood test to check your immunity. Or you can just get revaccinated (it’s totally safe even if you’re already immune).

For parents with little kids, this is a good reminder to make sure your children are caught up on their routine vaccinations. Measles can be especially serious in babies and toddlers.

The good news? Ontario’s been ramping up vaccination efforts since declaring the outbreak in October.

The province has opened 127 additional vaccination clinics and given over 89,000 measles vaccines since the outbreak started. But it takes time to close those coverage gaps, and in the meantime, we’re seeing cases like these transit exposures.

Adults born before 1970 are generally considered immune because measles was so common before vaccination programs began. However, people born between 1970 and 1996 might’ve only gotten one dose and should think about getting a booster.

What This Means for York Region Folks

If you live or work in York Region, this outbreak has some real implications for your daily life.

The health unit is asking residents to be extra careful about symptoms and to stay away from public spaces if they feel crappy.

Local businesses, especially those near the affected transit routes, have been getting more requests for vaccination status from employees. Some daycare centers in Richmond Hill and Markham have temporarily tightened their policies around sick kids and are requiring doctor’s notes for any fever-related absences.

The outbreak’s also affected healthcare services in the region. Cortellucci Vaughan Hospital has put additional screening procedures and isolation protocols in place. Emergency department wait times have gone up by an average of 45 minutes as staff conduct measles screening for all patients with fever or respiratory symptoms.

For families planning travel, this adds another headache. Measles is highly contagious, and many countries have strict entry requirements during active outbreaks. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control has issued a travel advisory for the Greater Toronto Area, recommending additional vaccination verification for travelers coming from the region.

School boards across York Region have been working closely with public health to monitor for cases among students and staff. So far, there’ve been 34 confirmed cases in schools, leading to temporary closures of 8 facilities for deep cleaning and contact tracing.

Public health officials are asking anyone who thinks they might’ve been exposed to fill out that follow-up survey, and honestly, it’s worth doing even if you’re feeling fine. The more info they have, the better they can track this outbreak and stop further spread.

The economic impact on local businesses has been pretty noticeable too.

What This Means Going Forward

Restaurants and shops near the affected transit stops have seen a 15-20% drop in foot traffic since the exposure warning went out. However, pharmacies have reported increased demand for vaccination services and immune system supplements.

Looking ahead, York Region Public Health expects to see the effects of these transit exposures over the next couple weeks.

If secondary cases pop up, they’ll probably show up between March 5 and March 14, based on the measles incubation period. The health unit has prepared additional contact tracing resources and is ready to expand vaccination clinics if needed.