Manitoba health authorities have issued a warning about potential measles exposure at a recent Winnipeg Jets game and have identified several public locations in southern rural municipalities as possible exposure sites due to a rise in case numbers.
In the first week of February alone, Manitoba recorded 44 confirmed measles cases, exceeding the total number of infections reported in eight of the previous 12 months. The province’s data shows that the average monthly cases from February to December 2025 were just under 29.
As of February 7, there have been a total of 438 confirmed and 39 probable measles cases in Manitoba since February 2025. Additional cases were reported in January, bringing the total for that month to 75.
The announcement made by Dr. Brent Roussin, the province’s chief public health officer, on February 9 revealed 12 confirmed measles infections. Due to the increasing community transmission, large events in the province in the coming months are considered potential exposure sites.
Individuals under 12 months old, pregnant individuals without immunization, and those with weakened immune systems are advised to consider the risk of exposure before attending gatherings. The province specifically highlighted the rural municipalities of Stanley, Rhineland, Thompson, Dufferin, and Roland as areas where potential exposure could occur in any public location.
One of the reported exposure sites is a Winnipeg Jets game at the Canada Life Centre on February 4. The exposure was identified in the 300-level seating and concourse area between 6 p.m. and 10:45 p.m. Attendees are advised to monitor symptoms until February 26.
The province also updated its approach to reporting possible measles exposures, stating that bulletins will now only be released for exposures within the past six days where preventative treatment may be beneficial.
Other exposure sites identified this week include the Boundary Trails Health Centre’s emergency department, the King’s School in West St. Paul, WestJet flight WS2451 from Puerto Vallarta to Winnipeg, and Winnipeg’s Richardson airport on specific dates in February.
Manitoba Premier Wab Kinew emphasized the importance of obtaining measles information from reliable sources and highlighted the effectiveness of vaccination in preventing the disease. The province has expanded vaccine eligibility to infants as young as six months in certain regions.
The majority of measles cases in Manitoba have been in unvaccinated individuals, with a small percentage involving individuals with unknown vaccination status or incomplete doses. Hospitalization data shows that 24 individuals, including 17 children under 10, have been hospitalized due to measles complications.
While no deaths have been reported in connection to the outbreak, some patients have required intensive care. Measles is highly contagious and can spread through the air, posing a risk even in brief proximity to an infected person.