Dr. Mark Joffe, Alberta's chief medical officer of health. (AP Photo)
Measles, once considered eradicated in Canada, is making a troubling comeback in Alberta. The number of confirmed cases has nearly doubled, rising from six to 11 cases since Thursday. Health officials are urging Albertans to review their vaccination records and take preventive measures to curb the spread.
Rising Cases and Areas of Exposure
According to Alberta Health Services (AHS), there are currently 11 confirmed measles cases in the province. The breakdown includes eight cases in the North zone, two in Edmonton, and one in Calgary. Alarmingly, eight of these cases involve children under nine, including an infant less than a year old.
Edmonton is the latest city to declare a measles outbreak. AHS has identified three locations where people may have been exposed:
- Belle Rive Medicentres Family Health Care Clinic (March 6, 2:15-5:15 p.m.)
- Rexall Drug Store (next to Belle Rive Medicentres) (March 6, 2:15-5:15 p.m.)
- Stollery Children’s Hospital Emergency Department (March 8, 10 p.m. - March 9, 12:30 a.m.)
People who visited these locations during the specified times and were born after 1970 without two documented measles vaccinations are strongly encouraged to check their immunization status and monitor for symptoms.
A Preventable but Serious Disease
Dr. Mark Joffe, Alberta’s chief medical officer of health, stressed the severity of measles and the importance of vaccination.
"It is a serious, highly infectious disease that can have devastating consequences," Joffe said. "No one should have to endure the effects of a disease we can prevent."
Measles spreads easily through the air when an infected person breathes, sneezes, or coughs. It typically starts with fever, cough, runny nose, and red, watery eyes, followed by a rash. Children under one, pregnant women, and those with weakened immune systems are at the highest risk.
Declining Vaccination Rates Raise Concerns
Vaccination rates among Alberta children have been declining. In 2023, only 81.67% of two-year-olds received their first dose of the MMR (measles-mumps-rubella) vaccine, down from 88.05% in 2014. The percentage of two-year-olds receiving a second dose was even lower at 69.32%.
Among seven-year-olds, 72.63% had two doses in 2023, a drop from 82.1% in 2016. Experts warn that the decline in vaccination coverage leaves more people vulnerable to outbreaks.
Dr. Richard Owen, president of the Edmonton Zone Medical Staff Association, called the resurgence of measles a "sad situation" in a country where the disease was once eradicated.
"This is the consequence of a falling vaccination rate," he said. "Our government needs to do more and urge the population to get vaccinated."
Government and Health Officials Respond
Health Minister Adrianna LaGrange reaffirmed the government’s support for vaccinations, stating that officials are actively providing information to the public.
"Vaccine hesitancy is an issue not just in Alberta, but across Canada and globally," LaGrange said. "We are sharing as much information as possible to encourage immunization."
Starting Tuesday, Alberta Health will update measles case counts daily at 12:30 p.m. on its website.
National and Global Measles Surge
Measles cases are rising across Canada and worldwide. Health Canada reported 224 cases as of March 1, with outbreaks in Ontario, Quebec, British Columbia, and Manitoba. By comparison, Canada saw only 12 cases in 2023 and three in 2022.
As the outbreak spreads, Alberta health officials are urging residents to check their vaccination records and get immunized. With two doses providing nearly 100% protection, experts say vaccination remains the best defense against measles.
