A nearly 12-hour measles exposure occurred overnight at Fort St. John Hospital, beginning late Saturday, Jan. 17, and ending the following morning.
According to a notice from Northern Health, the exposure began at 11:35 p.m. and ended at 10:10 a.m. Sunday. The emergency department on 112 Avenue has previously been linked to multiple measles incidents, with 25 exposures connected to acute care clinics in Peace River North last year, the health authority said.
People who received both doses of a measles-mumps-rubella vaccine need not worry about the highly contagious virus, the B.C. Centre for Disease Control’s exposure risk assessment tool said.
“Resume regular activities, as you are very likely immune to measles. Watch for symptoms of measles for 21 days after your exposure,” the tool advises when informed the person filling it out is vaccinated.
Symptoms to look out for include small white spots forming inside of the mouth, red eyes, and a blotchy red rash. Generally, the centre said, this rash begins on the face and neck and spreads down the body.
Anyone who was exposed to measles and are not vaccinated should contact their primary care practitioner and inform them. If symptoms begin to appear, they should contact the testing clinic ahead of time so staff can minimize the virus’ continued spread in the Peace region
