Canada: Alberta measles cases top 1,000
Measles transmission continues to occur in Alberta, affecting individuals of all ages – including infants, children and adults. Most reported cases have been in children under 5 years old and those aged 5 to 17 who are not immunized.
With the addition of 24 new measles cases, this brings the total to 1,020. Two-thirds of the cases (681) have been reported from the South zone. This is followed by the North and Central zones. Cases have been reported in all zones of the province.
"It is a very grim milestone," said Dr. Karina Top, a pediatric infectious disease physician at the Stollery Children's Hospital in Edmonton, which has been treating children with measles.
"I'm very worried we're going to see more hospitalizations and some deaths soon because we know the death rate is about one to two per thousand. So it's likely that we're going to see that and that will be a very tragic day."
Symptoms of measles include:
Fever of 38.3° C or higher; and
Cough, runny nose and/or red eyes; and
A rash that appears 3 to 7 days after fever starts, usually beginning behind the ears and on the face and spreading down to the body and then to the arms and legs. The rash appears red and blotchy on lighter skin colours. On darker skin colours, it can appear purple or darker than the skin around it, or it might be hard to see.
Complications of measles can include ear infections, pneumonia, inflammation of the brain, premature delivery, and rarely death. Persons who are pregnant, less than 5 years of age, or have weakened immune systems are at greatest risk of serious complications.
Measles in Ontario, Canada: More than 2,000 cases
Measles vaccine is highly effective at preventing infection and complications. In Alberta, measles vaccine is offered, free of charge, through Alberta’s publicly funded immunization program. The recommended schedule for measles immunization is two doses, the first at one year of age and the second at 18 months.
