Alberta ramps up measles vaccination push as 3 children in intensive care

Toronto Star

05-05-2025

EDMONTON - Alberta's government says three children are in intensive care in hospital after contracting measles.
A health ministry spokesperson said in an email that the government wouldn't disclose their ages out of concern for privacy.
At a press conference Monday, Dr. Sunil Sookram, Alberta's interim chief medical officer of health, said there have been no deaths.
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Sookram said the risk of getting the highly contagious disease in Alberta is at its greatest point in almost 30 years.
He was appointed to the role last month, after the province's former top public health official declined to stay on when his contract ended.
'Up until now we thought the disease had been eradicated, but things have changed,' said Sookram.
'Measles is now circulating in several areas in our province, and it's quite concerning.'
Alberta reported 55 new cases Monday, bringing the provincial total to 265 since the beginning of March.
The majority of confirmed cases are in children, with 77 of those under five.
Alberta Health Services also issued an alert warning that an individual who was contagious recently attended the south Edmonton Cineplex Odeon movie theatre.
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The health authority said anyone who attended the theatre on April 26 between 8:30 p.m. and 1 a.m. the next morning and who hasn't received two doses of the measles vaccine is at risk.
Health Minister Adriana LaGrange announced that the government will be launching a vaccination campaign featuring advertising in a variety of formats and languages, as well as a measles hotline.
'The campaign is simple: 'Don't get measles. Get immunized,'' she said, adding that the government is also looking to provide daycares with information for parents.
LaGrange said the government's existing social media advertising campaign encouraging Albertans to check their vaccination status has been a success, but 'we realize we need to do more.'
'Our hope is that this awareness campaign increases immunization rates and makes sure that Albertans have the access to information that they require as well,' LaGrange said.
'Getting immunized against measles is the single most important thing you can do to protect your loved ones and yourself and your community.'
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LaGrange said close to 90 per cent of the confirmed cases this year involve people who weren't vaccinated.
The government's vaccine push is also to include expanded clinic hours in Alberta's central and south zones, which Sookram said have seen almost 80 per cent of the cases, including all but four of the new ones reported Monday.
'These are areas where vaccine coverage has fallen, sometimes due to concerns about safety, sometimes due to cultural beliefs and sometimes due to misinformation,' Sookram said.
'For whatever reason, the results are the same. When fewer people are protected, measles spreads and the risks go up.'
Dr. Ifeoma Achebe, the central zone's medical officer of health, said measles vaccination rates need to reach 95 per cent to prevent a more widespread outbreak.
Vaccination rates in communities in her area range from 72 per cent to 90 per cent, she said.
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Opposition NDP health critic Sarah Hoffman said the United Conservative Party government's campaign is too little too late.
'There is no way things should have been left to get this bad,' Hoffman said in a statement.
'Waiting for more than 200 infections and people in (intensive care) to act is a complete failure to protect Albertans from a preventable disease.'
LaGrange said the government has responded to the situation as needed over the past two months.
'It's just as more is needed, more has to be done,' she said.
Measles symptoms include fever, coughing, a runny nose, red eyes and a blotchy, red rash that appears three to seven days after the fever starts.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 5, 2025.