Public health officials in Prince Edward Island have confirmed two cases of measles in adults who recently traveled to other parts of Canada. This announcement comes as concern over the virus’s highly transmissible nature continues to spread. This brings important attention to the risk posed to public health.
The measles virus is highly contagious and spread through direct contact with droplets from the nose, mouth, or throat of an infected person. In certain conditions, the virus can remain airborne or persist on surfaces up to two hours. This is letting the horse out after the infected rider has left the barn. In addition, they stress the need for extraordinary vigilance in identifying and isolating new cases to prevent any further transmission.
If you have symptoms such as fever, cough or a characteristic rash that resembles measles, don’t wait! Call 811 or contact your primary care provider before going to any health-care location. Our community precaution protocol allows our health services to handle any potential cases safely, without putting others at risk.
The measles virus is particularly scary in this regard as it can be contagious for four days before symptoms appear. It stays contagious four days after the rash first appears. Once contracted, serious complications can develop from measles, such as blindness, viral meningitis, pneumonia, or even death.
Dr. Heather Morrison, Prince Edward Island’s chief public health officer, highlighted the need for vigilance in light of these cases. She stated, “It’s a really good reminder for Islanders about the importance of measles-containing vaccine…. It’s too bad to see so many cases in the country and outbreaks occurring in other places, and we want to limit the impact that has here.”
Public health officials have been clear that most adults born before 1970 should assume they’ve developed natural immunity to measles. As such, they mostly don’t have to get the vaccination. Unvaccinated close contacts of someone with COVID-19 have to quarantine. In order to minimize the chance of continued transmission, they must be quarantined for at least 21 days.
There are currently no reported cases of measles in Nova Scotia. In the last five years, it has been upheld in just one case. New Brunswick was the site of a major measles outbreak, eventually totaling over 50 cases, beginning in November 2024. Health officials were able to declare that outbreak over by January.
For anyone planning trips outside of Canada, being up-to-date with at least one dose of measles vaccine is highly recommended. People born prior to 1970 or those who have had two doses of vaccine are usually immune. If you were born in or after 1970 and have never had measles, get vaccinated. To be fully protected, you need two doses of the vaccine.
Public health nursing is working to directly provide vaccination resources to contacts of the two confirmed cases. At the same time, a contact tracing effort is ongoing to ensure that anyone else exposed can be identified and alerted.
Dr. Morrison reassured residents about the response strategies being implemented: “It’s not unexpected that we’re getting a couple of cases of measles. We’re going to work really hard to try to make sure that any spread is very limited.”
