New measles exposure notices for two cross-provincial flights were issued by the B.C. Centre for Disease Control.
Passengers taking off from the North Peace Regional Airport on the morning of Oct. 6 to Vancouver International Airport were exposed to measles. The exact flight was Air Canada’s AC8368, it left Fort St John at 9:50 and arrived in Vancouver at 11:34 a.m.
The exposure did not end there, according to the centre. Air Canada’s flight AC8274 heading to Kelowna International Airport from Vancouver at 12:50 on that Monday afternoon also saw the highly contagious virus.
“Exposures may have also occurred during the layover between flights at Vancouver International Airport (YVR) between 11:34 a.m. to 3:09 p.m.,” said the hub.
People who have received both doses of the measles-mumps-rubella vaccine, or its newer iteration which includes protection against chickenpox, are considered immune by the centre. These people are advised to monitor for symptoms as their “chances of developing measles are extremely low.”
Immunocompromised people, pregnant people who are not vaccinated, and babies under one-year-old are considered high-risk for complications by the agency. In addition to keeping an eye on their symptoms, they are advised to consider receiving the immunization as a post-exposure measure. If administered within six days, it can limit the chance of complications.
Early symptoms of the virus include fever, runny nose, and irritated eyes. Generally, these symptoms will appear before the measles’ namesake rash, the centre said. This rash will appear on a patient’s face and neck and spread down their body. After it appears, a person is considered an active carrier of measles for four days.
Northeastern B.C., where the exposure began, is credited for 227 of the province’s total 314 cases this year. The northern Peace region, specifically, is subject to a prolonged warning from the B.C. CDC due to the concentration of measles cases in the area.
