Physicians brace for summer travel season as Alberta tops 800 measles cases
With 31 new cases reported over the weekend, Alberta's total case count jumped to 809 by midday Monday.
Five people are currently hospitalized due to the virus, including two patients who are in intensive care.
The outbreaks began in March and while cases have been confirmed in all zones, the south, central and north zones are the hardest hit.
"This is not showing signs of slowing at this point," said Caroline Colijn, a professor and Canada Research Chair of Mathematics for Evolution, Infection and Public Health at Simon Fraser University.
She predicts Alberta's measles case counts will keep climbing for months.
"I would expect it will continue to transmit and find pathways through our population to reach people who are not protected."
Dr. Sam Wong, president of the Alberta Medical Association's section of pediatrics, is worried about what's to come.
"In a few weeks' time, if the numbers keep going ... I think that we're going to hit over 1,000 [cases]. We're going to hit more measles cases in Alberta than they have in the States," said Wong.
According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1,168 cases had been confirmed in the entire country, as of June 6.
"That is mind-boggling to me," Wong said. "And it speaks to the failure of the [Alberta] government to do their job when they could have done it earlier on."
At the University of Calgary, Craig Jenne will be watching the trends in the coming weeks.
He's concerned summer activities, such as travel, could spark even more widespread transmission.
"As we get into the next several weeks people will be starting summer vacations. We will see festivals ... Calgary Stampede is in a few weeks. We may then see community level transmission expand beyond the south zone," said Jenne, a professor in the department of microbiology, immunology and infectious diseases.
Experts say a single case of measles transported into an area with low vaccination rates is akin to a spark landing in a tinder dry forest.
"I think travel between and among communities with low immunization ... will allow the virus a path to get into a new, close-knit community where vaccination rates are low," said Colijn.
The south zone accounts for 71.6 per cent of Alberta's total cases.
A standing exposure advisory remains in effect for that part of the province due to widespread transmission.
Health officials have warned official case counts are the "tip of the iceberg" in southern Alberta due to unreported and undetected cases.
Dr. Paul Parks is seeing that firsthand in the Medicine Hat emergency room where he works.
He, too, is bracing for further outbreaks in the province.
"It's such a contagious illness," said Parks, who is also the past-president of the Alberta Medical Association.
"As people are out at mass gathering events and as Stampede comes and as all these different events happen, we're going to have more and more spread."
The measles virus can hang in the air for several hours after an infected person leaves a location.
More than 90 per cent of people who are not immune and are exposed to the virus will end up infected, according to the Alberta government.
"The other thing to think about is ... Alberta could be a source of measles introductions to other places," said Colijn.
"We may see a broader geographic spread because of summer travel from Alberta more than to Alberta. That's very hard to predict."
The vast majority of Alberta's cases are among unimmunized individuals, provincial data shows.
Measles can lead to serious complications including pneumonia, brain inflammation, premature delivery and even death.
Children under the age of five, people with weakened immune systems and pregnant individuals are at the highest risk of severe complications.
The province says 64 Albertans have been hospitalized due to measles this year, as of May 31.
Ten of those people have ended up in intensive care.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Newsweek
6 days ago
- Newsweek
Early Warning Sign for Children's ADHD Risk Discovered
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. A developmental sign in early childhood could help to flag the future likelihood of ADHD—and ensure the right support is given at the right time. Brain wiring at this stage of life could lay the foundation for attention-related skills and hold the key to identifying young children who might go on to develop the neurodevelopmental condition. This is the conclusion of researchers from Canada's Simon Fraser University (SFU), who examined how the brain's structure and function develop and interact during the "critical" early years. "Think of it like a city," said Randy McIntosh, study author and founder of SFU's Institute for Neuroscience and Neurotechnology (INN), in a statement. "The roads are the brain's structure, and the traffic is the brain's activity. In young kids at this age, it turns out the roads matter most. "If the roads aren't built well, traffic can't flow smoothly, and that can affect how well kids can focus, switch tasks, and ignore distractions." Smiling little girl with two pony tails looking at camera. Smiling little girl with two pony tails looking at camera. Ridofranz/Getty Images "Genetics, prenatal factors, and early experiences may influence brain wiring," McIntosh explained to Newsweek. "Variations in these factors could cause differences in how brain networks that support attention develop. "In our study of typical development, we identified patterns related to attentional performance, which can serve as a baseline for future research into deviations observed in ADHD and the factors that affect them." Building on previous research, the researchers said studying both structural and functional connectivity changes can help to explain healthy neurodevelopmental patterns and potential predictive factors of behavioral outcomes. The study followed 39 children aged four to seven over the course of one year, using MRI scans to measure these types of connectivity in the brain. Participants performed tasks that assessed sustained attention (staying focused), selective attention (ignoring distractions) and executive attention (switching between tasks). The research team then applied graph theory—a method involving mathematical structures often used to study social networks—to analyze how different brain regions were connected and how those connections changed over time. They discovered that children performed better on attention tasks when their brain networks were organized like social networks with "tight-knit friend groups", where brain regions were more connected to others in their own group and had fewer connections with regions in other groups. "This age range, just before and during the early school years, is a critical time. It's when kids are facing new learning demands," said Leanne Rokos, study author and INN research technician, in a statement. "It's also when early interventions like behavioral therapy, school support plans, social skills training, and parent training can make a difference." "We know that social connection supports social and emotional development which is often affected in today's current society. With more and more young children and families spending time on technology and living in their individual silos this can have detrimental impacts on these areas of development," educational psychologist Emily Crosby, who was not involved in the study, told Newsweek. "The first three years—or 1,001 days—are the most important years for a child as this is also when a child forms an attachment style that will impact on their later attachments, even into their later romantic relationships. A child who has an anxious, insecure or avoidant attachment may be more hypervigilant which can present as attention difficulties. "It is about supporting parents early on to provide an optimal secure attachment so a child feels safe and secure [including helping parents to work on their own childhood experiences]." Little smiling boy holding the leg of his dad. Little smiling boy holding the leg of his dad. Prostock-Studio/Getty Images The researchers explained that "local clustering" and "weighted degree metrics" identified key regions where lower structural connectivity segregation was associated with better selective attention skills in older children. However in different regions—like one linked to spatial orientation—greater structural connectivity weighted degree and clustering appeared to be beneficial. "Evidently, early childhood is an extremely dynamic period where cognitive functioning is intricately and predominantly linked to structural network features. The current findings carry numerous implications for understanding healthy development and identifying potential targets for neurodevelopmental disorders," they wrote in the paper. The focus on brain wiring also lays the groundwork for future applications, according to the researchers, including the use of computer-based models like The Virtual Brain, a simulation platform co-developed at SFU. The tool helps researchers and clinicians model individual brain development and test potential interventions in a virtual environment. Their goal is create personalized models of brain development and try to simulate how a child's brain is wired and how it might change over time. "The hope is that understanding how a child's brain typically develops may allow us to identify risks early, tailor support more effectively, and offer it so that it can have the greatest impact," McIntosh explained. "This might include behavioral support to improve problem-solving skills, self-esteem, or self-control; school plans that accommodate a child's needs; and guidance for parents." Little girl with brain wiring illustrated over her head. Little girl with brain wiring illustrated over her head. Userba011d64_201/Getty Images "I think this study has the potential in showing how early childhood experiences can affect brain wiring which can have implications in supporting children and parents in those early years," said Crosby. "However, the study may have some negative connotations suggesting that ADHD is something we want to stop or reduce which is not the case but more that we want to support those with ADHD in understanding themselves and finding ways to support their associated difficulties. ADHD can offer lots of positives such as hyperfocus and some of the most innovative entrepreneurs have ADHD." In response to this, McIntosh said, "We are interested in how the brain's networks develop in early childhood and how this development might relate to different aspects of cognitive and behavioural health later on. The methods we use could, in principle, be applied to many areas. ADHD is just one example of where understanding brain development might help guide support and resources. "The goal is not to reduce or eliminate traits, but to better understand how varied developmental paths emerge, and how we can create environments that enable every child to succeed." Crosby also explained the genetic predisposition ADHD can have can also be exacerbated by early childhood trauma. "It is not yet clear whether someone with ADHD is more likely to be affected by trauma or whether the trauma can make it more likely for a child or adult to develop ADHD." While MRI technology isn't yet widely accessible for routine screening, the study authors hope their work will help lead to more targeted, efficient and accessible tools for assessing brain health in children. "These tools might include simpler, more affordable options such as computerized tests, wearable devices that track brain activity, or questionnaires designed to identify children who could benefit from further assessment," said McIntosh. "By exploring the link between brain measurements and behavoir or other easily measurable indicators, we can use more accessible tools to evaluate children's brain health." "We want to find the minimum amount of data needed to get a reliable picture of brain development," he added in a statement. "That way, we can bring these tools into more communities—even rural or remote ones—and support kids as early as possible." The researchers said long-term studies with a broader age range would better clarify how brain development influences attention over time. A larger and more diverse sample would also help ensure their findings are widely applicable. Do you have a tip on a health story that Newsweek should be covering? Do you have a question about ADHD? Let us know via health@ Reference Rokos, L., Bray, S. L., Neudorf, J., Samson, A. D., Shen, K., & McIntosh, A. R. (2025). Examining Relationships between Functional and Structural Brain Network Architecture, Age, and Attention Skills in Early Childhood. eNeuro, 12(7).
Associated Press
16-07-2025
- Associated Press
The Latest: 20 die in stampede at Gaza food distribution site as Israeli strikes kill 41 others
A stampede at a food distribution site run by an Israeli-backed American organization in the Gaza Strip killed 20 Palestinians on Wednesday, the group said, in the first acknowledgment of deadly violence at its operations. The Gaza Humanitarian Fund, an American organization backed by Israel to feed the Gaza Strip's population, said 19 people were trampled in a stampede and one person was fatally stabbed at a hub in the southern city of Khan Younis. The organization accused the Hamas militant group of fomenting panic and spreading misinformation that led to the violence, though it provided no evidence to support the claim. The deaths came as Israeli strikes killed 41 others, including 11 children, in Gaza City and Khan Younis, according to hospital officials. The Israeli military said it has struck more than 120 targets in the past 24 hours across the Gaza Strip, including Hamas military infrastructure of tunnels and weapons storage facilities. Israel blames Hamas for the civilian deaths because the group often operates in residential areas. Here's the latest: Israel strikes near defense ministry in Damascus The Israeli army said Wednesday that it struck near the entrance to the Syrian Ministry of Defense in Damascus, as clashes continued in the southern Syrian city of Sweida after a ceasefire between government forces and Druze armed groups collapsed. Israel has launched a series of airstrikes on convoys of government forces in southern Syria since the clashes erupted and has beefed up forces on the border. It has said it is acting to protect the Druze religious minority. The Druze religious sect began as a 10th-century offshoot of Ismailism, a branch of Shiite Islam. More than half the roughly 1 million Druze worldwide live in Syria. Most of the other Druze live in Lebanon and Israel, including in the Golan Heights, which Israel captured from Syria in the 1967 Mideast War and annexed in 1981. Stun grenades and pepper spray caused chaos at food distribution site Gaza's Health Ministry and witnesses said GHF workers used tear gas against the crowd outside one of its food distribution hubs, causing a panic. The ministry said that it was the first time people have been killed by a stampede at the aid sites. 'They used stun grenades and pepper spray against us. They had aid inside, but they intentionally did not distribute it to let people crowd outside,″ said Abdullah Aleyat, who was at the GHF site on Wednesday morning. Omar Al-Najjar, a resident of the nearby city of Rafah, said people were gasping for air, possibly from tear gas. The injuries were 'not from gunfire, but from people clustering and pushing against each other,' Al-Najjar said as he carried an injured stranger to a hospital. The sites are inside Israeli military zones protected by private American contractors. Israel troops surround the sites, but the army says they are not in the immediate vicinity. The United Nations human rights office and Gaza's Health Ministry said Tuesday that 875 Palestinians in the enclave have been killed while seeking food since May, with 674 of those in the vicinity of aid distribution sites run by GHF.
Associated Press
16-07-2025
- Associated Press
Israel-backed aid organization in Gaza says 20 killed at distribution site, mostly in stampede
TEL AVIV, Israel (AP) — An Israeli-backed American organization that runs an aid program in the Gaza Strip said Wednesday 20 Palestinians were killed near a distribution site. This comes as Israeli strikes killed 22 others, including 11 children, according to hospital officials. The Gaza Humanitarian Fund said 19 people were trampled in a stampede and one person was fatally stabbed in the violence near a distribution hub in the southern Gaza city of Khan Younis. The group, which rarely acknowledges trouble at its distribution sites, accused Hamas of fomenting panic and spreading misinformation that led to the violence, though it provided no evidence to support the claim.
