Two active measles cases have been confirmed in northeastern British Columbia, according to the B.C. Centre for Disease Control’s latest weekly update.
These cases are the only active ones in the province, which is not unique for northeastern B.C., per the centre. The sparsely populated area hosted 244 of the total 331 reported cases.
“While we’ve seen cases in all of our regions in Northern Health, by far the majority have been detected in the north Peace region – generally Fort St John and the surrounding areas,” said Dr. Rakel Kling, a medical officer with the health authority.
Cases have appeared throughout the region, as demonstrated by recent measles exposures at the Dawson Creek and District Hospital. Northern Health said anyone who was in the emergency department or its waiting room at the hospital on Oct. 21 from 9:09 a.m. to 1 p.m. was exposed. A second exposure in the emergency wing took place three days later last Friday, Oct. 24 from 10:54 a.m. to 2:20 that afternoon.
Visitors in the hospital’s ER is being asked by Northern Health to monitor their symptoms. Early symptoms of measles include a fever, runny nose, and red itchy eyes. People who are vaccinated against the highly contagious virus are considered immune by the B.C. CDC.
“One of the most important steps that we’re taking is ensuring there’s really good access to vaccination for measles. So, being vaccinated for measles, and especially being fully vaccinated for measles, is the best way to protect yourself against getting infected. It’s an incredibly safe and very effective vaccine,” explained Kling.
Northern Health is also working on emphasizing the importance of childhood vaccines. The provincial health centre’s data said 71 per cent of confirmed cases provincially have been in youths under 18.
“We know that measles does spread fairly rapidly in areas that are highly under vaccinated. That’s why we’re seeing these pockets of measles spread in the north and, absolutely, we want to ensure that vaccination is available for those who want to get it,” the doctor said.
Anyone who believes they have measles should contact the clinic where they will be tested in advance. This notice allows staff preparation time before handling a case of the very contagious virus.
