Ontario reports 74 new measles cases, including 28 more in the northern region [Video]

Ontario is reporting 74 new measles cases over the last week, bringing the total number of people in the province who have fallen ill to 2,083 since October.

That’s lower than the number of new cases reported over the last several weeks, but includes an uptick in northern Ontario.

Public Health Ontario data released Thursday included 28 new infections in the region covered by Algoma Public Health, based in Sault Ste. Marie.

That brings the region’s cumulative count to 81.

A provincial hot spot in southwestern Ontario saw 14 more cases, with Southwestern Public Health reporting a total of 739.

The report said seven infants in total have been born with congenital measles, including a premature baby in southwestern Ontario who died.

Ontario’s chief medical officer of health announced that death last week — the outbreak’s first — and noted the child was infected in the womb through a mother who was not vaccinated.