New Brunswick has received a new batch of 20,000 doses of the measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine amid increased demand during a measles outbreak in Saint John.
The province usually orders roughly 5,000 doses of the MMR vaccine every year.
But since the outbreak in Saint John began in April, the province says they’ve distributed over 13,000 doses.
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New Brunswick’s chief medical officer of health, Dr. Jennifer Russell, sought to assure the public on Wednesday that there is no shortage of the MMR vaccine.
She told media on Wednesday that those who need the vaccine will have already been contacted by her officer.
“I’m a parent — I understand that concern — but again, the message really is around if you have actually come into direct contact with a case of measles you would know that because we would have contacted you, public health would have contacted you,” said Russell.
WATCH: 12th measles case confirmed in Saint John area
The extra doses will now be used for people in the Saint John area who’ve come into direct contact with a case of measles, as well as children between six and 12 months in age.
As of Thursday, there have been 12 confirmed cases of measles in the Saint John area.