B.C. is past the peak of respiratory illness season but health officials are very concerned about a global outbreak of measles. Read More
There are five confirmed cases of measles in B.C. Health officials are urging people to check their vaccination records.
There are five confirmed cases of measles in B.C. Health officials are urging people to check their vaccination records.
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B.C. is past the peak of respiratory illness season but health officials are very concerned about a global outbreak of measles.
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So far there have been five confirmed cases of measles in B.C. All of the patients had been travelling overseas, and they were either not immunized or under immunized.
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Dr. Bonnie Henry, provincial health officer, said despite the small number of cases in B.C. compared to other places in the world like Texas, health officials are worried about all the spring break travel.
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“When people come in contact with measles, it can be a very small dose of the virus to infect somebody who is not protected, and it can take seven to 14 days before you start to show symptoms. So you may come home from that trip to Southeast Asia, Asia, or to Europe or to other places may have been exposed to this virus and then you start to get sick when you come back,” she said during a news conference on Friday.
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“That is what’s so worrisome about this virus, why it’s so important that we take those measures now to protect ourselves from getting infected in the first place.”
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Henry said it’s important for everybody to check whether they’re immune to measles.
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Routine vaccination to measles started in 1970. Double doses of the vaccine began in 1996. So anyone born between 1970 and 1996 should make sure they have had two doses of the vaccine, said Henry.
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“If you’ve had two doses, then this provides close to 100 per cent protection for the rest of your life,” said Henry.
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“It is the only thing that we have to protect you against measles, and there is no treatment for measles. So if you are infected … it can lead to very serious illness.”
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Henry reminded the public that the measles vaccine “is very safe” and does not cause autism, a misinformed claim widely circulated online.
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“I say that unequivocally, it is the only and best protection against this highly contagious and dangerous virus, especially to young children. And to be clear, vitamin A, zinc, cod liver oil do not prevent or treat measles.”
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Henry said there have been a lot of concerning messages often coming from the U.S. on treatments for measles. But she said these are severe infections that are particularly harmful to children.
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Measles is an extremely contagious virus that can cause severe complications including pneumonia, encephalitis — or inflammation of the brain— and even death.
There’s no cure but it is a preventable illness through immunization.