According to health experts, Alberta is on the verge of losing its measles elimination designation. As of last Friday, the province has reported an alarming 1,656 cases of measles. The frightening increase in infections has led state and local officials to prioritize awareness of the need to vaccinate and to take preventative actions. In a little over four months, Alberta administered over 92,000 vaccinations from March 16 to July 26. This remarkable advancement is a testament to the tremendous work still being done to stop the spread of this outbreak.
Health officials had predicted that measles cases in Alberta would continue to climb and had expressed worry about the direction of the outbreak. Dr. Stephanie Smith reminded us that measles spreads primarily through aerosolized air. This creates challenges for healthcare settings to manage safely. She stated, “What is important to understand is that because measles is transmitted primarily by airborne route, the way that we have to manage that in the hospital is a little bit different, and it does make it quite challenging to manage patients in some healthcare settings.”
Outbreak response health authorities are determined to ensure the situation does not worsen, and they know that immunization is key. Alberta’s Ministry of Primary and Preventative Health Services reiterated this point, stating, “Immunization remains our strongest defence. We continue to urge all Albertans to check their immunization records and ensure they and their children are up to date.”
According to Janna Shapiro, a senior health policy researcher, being proactive is key. “I think the key here is prevention and starting programs before there’s a problem,” she said. Shapiro warned against complacency, asserting, “If you wait until there’s an outbreak, it’s really hard to get on top of it, especially with something as contagious as measles.”
While today’s report shows active measles cases are currently stable – holding firm at 16 for the past three weeks – things still look bad. Indeed, experts warn that Alberta won’t hold onto its elimination status. In the end, Dr. Smith is left with deep disappointment at the prospects for success. He only expects to see cases trending upward for the next few months. I think it’s very unlikely that we won’t lose our elimination status, which is really disappointing given this is something that is quite preventable.”
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