Vancouver Coastal Health (VCH) is warning the public to double-check their immunization status after someone with a case of the measles attended Skookum Festival on Saturday.
The health authority says the person also visited a number of other locations around the city over the weekend and early part of the week.
“This particular case was unaware that they had measles and were infectious at the time they attended the festival,” Dr. John Harding, a medical officer with Vancouver Coastal Health, said.
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Harding said the person received a measles-mumps-rubella vaccination as a child but as far as they know the person only received “one dose” rather than the two doses needed for full immunization.
VCH says anyone who is not immune or is unsure if they are immune, and believes they may have been exposed, should see a doctor for an immunization as soon as possible.
That advice is important because people at risk must be vaccinated within six days of exposure to avoid contracting the disease, VCH said.
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Vancouver Coastal Health says the person with measles was in the following places at the following times:
- Saturday, Sept. 8 – Canada Line SkyTrain from Vancouver City Centre to Broadway-City Hall Station, 11 p.m. – 1 a.m.
- Saturday, Sept. 8 – Aquabus from Olympic Village to Hornby Street, approximate trip start was 3 p.m.
- Saturday, Sept. 8 – Skookum Festival, Stanley Park, 5 p.m. – 1 a.m.
- Sunday, Sept. 9 – Outdoor Community Block Party at 1188 Quebec St., 1 p.m. – 3 p.m.
- Sunday, Sept. 9 – Main Street bus from Terminal Station to Broadway, 3 p.m. – 5 p.m.
- Tuesday, Sept. 11 – Noodlebox Mount Pleasant (2511 Main St.) – Noon – 6 p.m
Vancouver Coastal Health said it doesn’t know of any links to any previous cases, such as the one reported in Maple Ridge earlier this month.
Measles is a highly infectious disease, and can be spread through the air.
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Symptoms include fever, cough, runny nose and red eyes, followed a few days later by a rash that starts on the face and spreads to the chest.
Anyone who has never had it, or who has not been fully immunized, can potentially contract it.
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VCH says anyone who was infected over the weekend would manifest symptoms between Sept. 15 and Sept. 29.
Many people in B.C. are already immune to the disease because they have received two doses of the vaccine.
However, people born between 1970 and 1994, or born outside of Canada may have only been given one dose of the vaccine, and therefore may be at risk.
Vaccinations are free, and can be done at doctor’s offices, pharmacists or community health centres.
Infants, pregnant women, and people with compromised immune systems should not get the vaccine, and should contact VCH public health at 604-675-3900 for information on what to do if they believe they have been exposed.
— With files from Jon Azpiri
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