BC confirms first measles case in five years and urges vaccination
BC confirmed a case of measles over the weekend, the first time the virus has been detected in the province since 2019.
The BC infection follows at least nine cases reported in Canada so far this year, with 12 reported country-wide in 2023.
“Measles is a highly contagious virus that can spread through air,” the BC Centre for Disease Control (BC CDC) said in a news release. “People can pass the virus to others before they show symptoms and the virus can stay suspended in the air in a room for several hours.”
Vancouver Coastal Health issued an alert Monday about potential public exposures after the person with measles stayed at the Vancouver Airport Hotel from February 24 to March 2 and visited the ICBC office at 5300 No. 3 Road in Richmond between 9 am and 1 pm on February 26.
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The virus is on the rise globally after a decline in immunization levels during the COVID-19 pandemic, according to the World Health Organization. It reported a 79% increase in measles cases from 2022 to 2023.
The BC CDC is urging people to get fully immunized if they’re not already — especially ahead of the spring break travel season. The measles vaccine is given as a series of two doses in BC. The first is given to children around their first birthday, and the second is given as they start school.
Babies as young as six months should get their measles, mumps, and rubella vaccine early if they’re travelling abroad, the BC CDC recommended. Children between one and four can also get their second dose early from a healthcare provider if they’re going to travel.
Vaccination appointments can be booked online.
Most of the measles cases reported in Canada this year have been in people not fully immunized or who travelled to countries where measles is spreading.
The virus has been considered eliminated in Canada since 1998, when domestic transmission was halted by immunization. Several outbreaks have happened since then after the virus was introduced from abroad.
Government of Canada
Measles symptoms typically appear seven to 21 days after exposure to the virus. Signs include a fever, cough, runny nose, and red, watery eyes.
Two or three days after symptom onset, small, white spots may appear inside the mouth and throat. A few days after that, a rash of small red spots develops on the face before spreading down the body.
Though most people recover from measles in three weeks, some people develop complications. Severe outcomes of measles include respiratory failure, swelling of the brain, blindness, deafness, brain damage, and death.