Alberta Health Services is on the lookout for seven new instances of measles this week. That raises the province’s cumulative total of confirmed cases since early March to 43. This scary increase in cases has been seen throughout each of the five provincial health zones. The highly infectious disease raises concerns, particularly regarding the adequacy of vaccination rates among Albertans.
Measles symptoms typically begin with a fever above 100.9 degrees Fahrenheit. A few days after the initial outbreak, a red spot-like rash develops, starting on the face. The Edmonton Zone Medical Staff Association has attributed the outbreak to government inaction and has called for a comprehensive vaccination plan and improved public communication.
This week, less than 70 percent of Albertans are up-to-date with two doses of the measles vaccine by their second birthday. This under-vaccination puts individuals and the overall health of the community at grave risk. People can transmit the virus as many as four days prior to the rash developing. That complicates efforts to slow the spread of the outbreak.
All seven of the latest reported cases were found within Alberta’s central zone, which means they were in Alberta’s capital region or south. The province said the acute situation no longer needs daily public updates from Dr. Mark Joffe, Alberta’s chief medical officer of health. She urged calm, noting that there are no urgent problems emerging.
“When Dr. Joffe feels that that’s important for him to do, he will absolutely go out and do that,” – Adriana LaGrange
LaGrange noted how much Dr. Joffe appreciates working with Ontario’s local medical officers of health. He thinks it is key to collaborate with impacted communities to empower them with critical knowledge and resources.
We recognize that health officials, stakeholders, and communities are on the knife-edge of urgency in this situation. The Edmonton Zone Medical Staff Association expressed its concern, stating, “Alberta has seen outbreaks that are cause for concern because not enough Albertans are immunized.”
The group reiterated that being fully vaccinated – receiving the two vaccine doses – is almost 100 percent effective in preventing infection. This most powerfully underscores the importance of vaccination as we combat the outbreak. As they noted, public health efforts should be much more preventative.
“Public health needs to be unleashed so that they can actually tell everyone actively to get immunized and to protect themselves and the people that they love,” – Sarah Hoffman
As of today, 39 confirmed cases in Alberta are among people under 18. This underscores a key vulnerability for younger populations.
