Public health officials in Waterloo region have confirmed a local case of measles for the first time since 2019. 

This comes as Ontario saw a sharp increase in measles cases this week. 

Thursday, Public Health Ontario reported 470 measles cases since an outbreak began in October. That's an increase of 120 cases since March 14.

"Measles is highly contagious and spreads easily among those who are unvaccinated," Dr. Hsiu-Li Wang, Region of Waterloo Public Health's medical officer of health, said in a…