Alberta infant infected with measles; 5th case in Edmonton area

Watch above: Some are saying vaccinations should be mandatory for children in Alberta. Su-Ling Goh reports.

EDMONTON – The fifth case of measles in the Edmonton area in one month has been confirmed by Alberta Health Services (AHS), and this time it’s an infant who’s been infected.

The infant is less than 12-months-old, meaning too young to be immunized. The baby is said to have caught measles at the Edmonton International Airport on April 9, and is now recovering at home.

READ MORE: Latest Alberta measles case linked to Vancouver-Edmonton flight

AHS says this case isn’t a threat to the general public, but it is a reminder of the importance of immunizing as a means of protecting vulnerable people from exposure to the illness.

On Wednesday, AHS confirmed another case of the measles. It’s believed the male patient contracted measles from the exposure at the Edmonton International Airport in the early morning hours of April 10.

“This case is related to one of our previous cases, but unfortunately, the case did visit a lab during the time he could spread the disease to others,” said Dr. Marcia Johnson, an AHS Medical Officer of Health.

In light of Wednesday’s case, AHS says anyone who was in Meadowlark Shopping Centre on Monday April 21 from 11:30 a.m. – 2 p.m., especially in Dynalife Diagnostic Lab Services, could have been exposed to the illness.

If you were in the locations during those times, and have not already had measles or been vaccinated, AHS says you may be at risk.

Meanwhile, two students at a Red Deer elementary school have contracted measles, sparking an “exclusion order.” Forty students and four staff members were sent home April 11, and must stay home for 21 days. AHS records show they were either not vaccinated at all or had received only one of the two required shots.

There haven’t been any cases in Edmonton schools, but many parents have received letters warning of the possibility of an “exclusion order.”

AHS also confirmed another case in Calgary on Thursday. Officials say the patient hadn’t been vaccinated. The person had not traveled, but had visited multiple public settings and may have exposed others to the illness.

There have been a total of 20 measles cases in Alberta over the past month: eight in Calgary, seven in central Alberta, and five in the Edmonton area.