Measles cases in Guelph, Ont. and the surrounding area have been on the decline.

Nicola Mercer, medical officer of health and CEO of Wellington Dufferin Guelph Public Health, tabled a new report with the latest data at a board of health meeting on Wednesday.

Dr. Matthew Tenenbaum, the health unit’s associate medical officer of health, said cases have declined substantially from a few weeks earlier.

“It perhaps speaks to some of the ways those different communities, with different vaccination levels, are interacting to whatever extent possible,” Tenenbaum said.

To date, 72 measles cases have been reported in the Guelph area.

Tenenbaum also pointed to the possibility that there’s more immunity in the communities regarding a decline in the number of new cases.

Although public health officials are encouraged by the data, he said they remain cautious for now.

As long as more vaccinations occur, Tenenbaum said the number of new cases will only keep going down.

“The more people who get vaccinated, the better we’re going to do, not just to protect ourselves as individuals from measles but also to limit spread in our community for measles.”

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