Active measles cases in Northern Health have dropped but not been eradicated entirely with one active carrier currently residing in the health authority. It is also the only current case in British Columbia.
The number of cases has steadily dropped since last week, when Northern Health said six active reports of measles were present. Northern B.C.’s health service provider experienced 142 of the 197 cases reported provincially, which is eight cases higher than the B.C. Centre for Disease Control’s August 14 epidemiological summary.
B.C.’s disease control hub cautions residents that the North Peace area has the highly contagious virus circulating among the specific exposure sites listed online, Northern Health is the only health region with active warnings which aren’t from flights or airports.
Locations are listed online until the centre’s three week monitoring period passes, during this time people who were present at exposure sites are asked to keep an eye on their symptoms, which can include red, watery eyes.
Other initial symptoms of the virus can include a fever, cough, and runny nose. After a few days of those milder symptoms, the red, itchy rash will appear on a patient’s face and neck before spreading. The rash may be accompanied by white spots inside their mouth.
Anyone experiencing symptoms of measles should be tested, because the highly contagious virus requires exposure notices to warn others and, for the carrier, identifying an active case early can prevent hospitalization.
The centre for disease control said one-in-ten patients wound up in the hospital, potentially with complications like pneumonia or inflammation of the brain. To prevent this risk, Northern Health and B.C.’s disease management centre recommended receiving both doses of the immunization – this option is open for anyone who is not pregnant, younger than 55 and older than one-year-old.
