The death of an Ontario infant born prematurely and infected with measles through the mother is raising questions about how the virus is transmitted during pregnancy.

On Thursday, Ontario health officials announced the death of a baby who was infected with the virus while in the womb. It was the first fatality in the provincial outbreak that began on Oct. 28 last year and includes 2,009 probable and confirmed cases.

"While measles may have been a contributing factor in both the premature birth and death, the infant also faced other serious medical complications unrelated to the virus," Dr. Kieran Moore, Ontario's chief medical officer of health, said in a statement released Thursday.

Measles is a respiratory infection with symptoms that include fever, a blotchy rash, a cough and red

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