Public health officials are sounding alarms over an outbreak of measles in northeastern B.C. Unvaccinated children have provided the kindling for the disease’s resurgence, allowing it to erupt “like wildfire.” Dr. Martin Lavoie, the region’s chief public health officer, spoke to a particularly inhumane trend. Measles, a disease we had previously eliminated in Canada, is rearing its ugly head once again.
The outbreak hits just as Ontario is experiencing a record high number of confirmed measles cases across Canada. Since that change was made in October, the province has recorded 2,244 new infections. Alberta is currently experiencing one of the largest case surges in the world and is currently leading North America on a per-capita basis. As of July 8, B.C.’s reported 102 confirmed cases so far this year. At least 10 people have been hospitalized due to the virus.
Rising Cases Across Canada
The increase in measles cases has raised concerns among health officials, particularly as Alberta reported an alarming 1,230 infections since March. Dr. Lavoie noted that B.C. and Alberta are almost touching. This close proximity may facilitate the measles to spread as individuals often commute back and forth between the two provinces.
“So we are very close to Alberta, of course, so they could be a source [of measles] for us as people travel back and forth.” – Dr. Martin Lavoie
The last outbreak which was mostly in B.C.’s Fraser Valley. It reached nearly 360 students in grades K-12. The initial case of the existing outbreak in northeast B.C. was spread by travel. This serves as a great reminder of the role that international movement plays in disease spread.
Measles cases have arisen after a number of known exposures from Fort St. John. These are just examples from one elementary school, one emergency room, and one prenatal clinic. Half of all ten of those B.C. cases hospitalized are highly concentrated among Northern Health. The rest of the health regions have seen a single case apiece.
Vulnerable Populations at Risk
As public health officials warn, nearly 9 out of 10 people infected with measles in recent outbreaks have been under 18 years of age. In Ontario, they represent 70 percent of all known infections. This demographic vulnerability has officials beyond our borders strongly concerned, given the significantly worse outcomes seen in other hard-hit areas.
Dr. Kieran Moore, Ontario’s chief medical officer, delivered the bad news last week. An infant born prematurely in southwestern Ontario has died after coming down with measles. While we acknowledge this incident as just one example, it underscores the possible severity of the disease and its threat to public health.
As Dr. Jennifer Vines of the B.C. Centre for Disease Control pointed out, being ready makes all the difference. She made particular mention of the danger of exposure to pregnant women.
“But we are preparing for it by engaging pregnancy experts to prepare for everything we need to know on how to manage measles in pregnancy … so we can be prepared for this unfortunate possibility,” – Dr. Jennifer Vines
She cautioned pregnant people who suspect they may be at-risk to pursue immediate consultation. Talk to your doctor today about how you can be covered!
Immunization Rates and Public Health Strategies
B.C.’s immunization rate hovers around 84 percent. Health officials warn that we are not in the clear just yet, as we need to continue keeping up vaccination coverage to avoid such outbreaks in the future. As Dr. Lavoie recently stated, “The key is finding and vaccinating the pockets of unvaccinated people.”
“If the virus finds people who are not immunized, it will start infecting,” – Dr. Martin Lavoie
He further explained that the virus has found communities large enough to facilitate rapid transmission:
“The virus has found communities or pockets of population that are large enough in numbers to allow the virus to all of a sudden, I would say, explode or start like a wildfire … and then it takes some time before it dies off and runs its course.” – Dr. Martin Lavoie
Health authorities continue to advocate for vaccination as a critical measure to curb the rising incidence of measles and protect vulnerable populations.
