Alberta is in the midst of what is now the largest measles outbreak in North America, with 450 probable cases reported as of October 23. Alberta, with nearly one third the population of Ontario, has now overtaken the province to become Canada’s measles capital. This unfortunate reality is an affront to public health transparency, accountability, and proper data reporting standards.
In June, Alberta’s provincial government was criticized for failing to modernize the province’s public health data to meet national standards. Yet it has only communicated about confirmed cases of measles since the outbreak started last spring. This strategy is a departure from the practice in other provinces, like Ontario, where the health ministry publicly reports probable cases.
Minister of Primary and Preventative Health Adriana LaGrange is responsible for Alberta’s response to the current outbreak. The government has faced criticism for withholding information that could help the public better understand the scope of the measles situation.
As of late November, almost 160 Albertans have been hospitalized experiencing measles-related complications, with 15 of them requiring intensive care. Even worse, in late October news broke that a premature infant who had contracted the disease in utero died from complications. The government officially acknowledged this tragic loss, underscoring the devastating impact of the outbreak.
Alberta’s public dashboard on measles cases has so far only provided details on hospitalizations for confirmed cases. This narrow data leaves a significant gap in evaluating the overall effect of the outbreak. LaGrange’s team indicated that expanding public reporting to include both confirmed and probable cases is essential for maintaining transparency and keeping Albertans informed.
“Expanding public reporting to include both confirmed and probable measles cases is a key step in maintaining transparency and keeping Albertans informed.” – Briefing note for Minister of Primary and Preventative Health Adriana LaGrange
In mid-July, reports surfaced that two pregnant people were included in the probable measles cases. One person who was previously hospitalized with complications from a measles illness was considered a probable case. Given the dangers to vulnerable populations in Alberta, these developments should be causing alarm bells about the danger Covid poses to Albertans from elsewhere.
Alberta’s government has long shunned the reporting of probable cases, as they are unconfirmed. This decision is a puzzling contradiction to all the recent national news about these alarming statistics. Maddison McKee, a representative from the Alberta government, stated:
“We have not historically reported probable cases, in part because they are unconfirmed and may later be ruled out. This approach aligns with other disease and illness reporting in the province.”
This extremely limited reporting is in stark contrast to Ontario, which is much more open about their probable cases. Observers suggest that Alberta’s approach may hinder effective public awareness and response tactics during this outbreak.
In a recent briefing note from Minister LaGrange’s office, the government re-stated its commitment to protecting public health.
“Alberta’s government is committed to protecting Albertans by taking action to reduce the risk of infectious diseases. This includes keeping the public informed with up-to-date measles case counts in the province,” – Briefing note for Minister of Primary and Preventative Health Adriana LaGrange
As of this writing, there is only one active case of measles left in Alberta. Hospitalizations for the virus remain at a very low level. The manner in which this has played out going forward presents troubling, glaring concerns. It questions the province’s ability to control communications with the public and surveillance of the spread of this historic outbreak.
