B.C.’s health officials have said 102 cases of measles have been reported across B.C. so far this year, with most of those in the Northern Health region.
Health Minister Josie Osborne gave an update Thursday, July 10, on the measles situation in the province, alongside other health officials.
Officials said there’s currently one active case of measles in the province, in the Fraser Health region, and 10 people are hospitalized.
The B.C. Centre for Disease Control notes there are likely more cases that have gone unreported.
The B.C. CDC’s website lists known exposure locations where public health officials are not able to contact everyone who may have been exposed. The latest exposures on the list took place on July 1st and 4th at the Fort St. John Hospital Emergency Department.
Northern Health also said in a social media post last week there had been potential exposures at the Fort St. John Prenatal Clinic on June 27th.
Dr. Jong Kim, chief medical officer at Northern Health, said he believes the outbreak in that region is peaking, and expects cases will begin to decline.
“We are seeing that in surrounding communities with more immunization, [measles] is moving a lot slower there,” said Kim.
Measles is making a resurgence in Canada as immunization rates decline. The latest data from Health Canada show more than 3,700 measles cases have been reported across the country this year. The majority of those have been in Ontario and Alberta.
Last year, there were 147 confirmed cases in Canada.
Deputy Provincial Health Officer, Dr. Martin Lavoie, said Thursday there are some “pockets” of low vaccination rates in B.C., including in the Northern Health region, however, there is a risk that, with increased summer travel between communities and provinces, there could be more outbreaks in other areas with low immunization.
Lavoie said there is some persistent misinformation around measles, with no basis to the idea that taking vitamin A or cod liver oil supplements can help prevent or treat measles. He also said a trend of parents having “measles parties” so children who are not immunized can pick up the illness and supposedly develop an immunity are dangerous and puts kids at risk.
“Vaccination really is the only really safe and effective way to build immunity against the disease,” stressed Lavoie.
Nearly half of cases reported in B.C. this year are among kids aged five to 17. Lavoie said fewer parents have opted to vaccinate their kids against measles in recent years, leading to a larger population of unvaccinated kids and teens.
However, there have been no measles-related deaths in B.C. this year.
Ontario has reported the death of one baby born with congenital measles, along with other health complications. Congenital measles is when a child contracts the virus while in their parent’s womb and is born with the disease.
Dr. Jennifer Vines with the B.C. CDC said the province has not seen any cases of congenital measles this year. But she said officials are preparing for the possibility by talking to pregnancy experts about how to manage measles and pregnancy. Vines said pregnant people who are at risk and may have been exposed to measles should contact their health care provider as soon as possible.
The B.C. CDC said getting immunized with at least two doses of the vaccine is the best way to prevent measles.
“British Columbians have always come together to support one another, and getting immunized against measles is the best thing we can do to help keep everyone in our communities safe and protected,” said Osborne.
Children typically get a first dose of the vaccine at 12 months, and a second dose around the time they enter kindergarten. Health officials recommend adults born in 1970 or later should check to make sure they or their children have received two doses of the vaccine.
Measles is a highly contagious and possibly deadly disease, and almost 1 in 10 people who contract measles are hospitalized. Symptoms include fever, cough, runny nose, and red and inflamed eyes that are often sensitive to light. These symptoms are followed by a rash, which starts first on the face and neck, and spreads to the chest, arms and legs.
Measles can also cause serious complications like pneumonia and inflammation of the brain, known as encephalitis.
The measles virus spreads through the air and through direct contact, like sharing drinks, with an infected person. The virus can linger in small droplets in the air for several hours.
Children under the age of five, pregnant people, those who are immunocompromised and people who are severely malnourished are at higher risk of complications and death due to measles.
