Alberta Health Services has issued a health advisory after a lab-confirmed case of measles in St. Albert, Alta.
Dr. Jasmine Hasselback, medical officer of health with AHS, said Alberta Health is investigating a single case of the virus.
Anyone who was at the locations below at the specified date and times and who was born after 1970 and has not already had measles or two doses of the measles vaccine may have been exposed to measles, according to the advisory.
May 31:
Exposure Location: The Sturgeon Community Hospital Emergency Department (201 Boudreau Rd, St. Albert)
Exposure Time Period: 9:54 p.m. – 11:59 p.m.
June 1:
Exposure Location: The Sturgeon Community Hospital Emergency Department (201 Boudreau Rd, St. Albert)
Exposure Time Period: 12:00 a.m. – 3:44 p.m.
June 3:
Exposure Location: The Sturgeon Community Hospital Emergency Department (201 Boudreau Rd, St. Albert)
Exposure Time Period: 1:12 a.m. – 7:52 a.m.
Anyone who was at the above locations should monitor themselves for symptoms for 21 days after the date of the potential exposure. Anyone who has symptoms develop is asked to stay home and call Health Link immediately before visiting any healthcare facility or provider.
Symptoms of measles include a fever of 38.3 C and higher as well as a cough, runny nose and/or red eyes and a red blotchy rash that develops three to seven days after the fever that starts on the ears and face and spreads down the body to the arms and the legs.
Measles is extremely contagious and is easily spread through the air.
“Measles is incredibly contagious or easily passed from person to person,” Hasselback said. “Although a good number of individuals will have a limited disease and feel pretty unwell, unfortunately, there are a subset – particularly those under five years and over the age of 20 – could get quite sick, including severe pneumonia is a potential complication amongst others.”
AHS said it will be following up directly with people they’ve identified who were potentially exposed in this case.
Hasselback said AHS has “a pretty good ballpark” on the number of people who may be at risk, but she would not release the number.
Earlier this week, AHS issued a public health advisory after a person with lab-confirmed measles visited several public locations in the Banff area. Hasselback said the case in St. Albert is not related to the Banff case.