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CTV News
a day ago
- Health
- CTV News
Measles cases in Alberta nearing highest mark since 1986
A dose of the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccination awaits the next patient during a vaccine clinic at Southwestern Public Health in St. Thomas, Ont. on Tuesday, March 4, 2025. (THE CANADIAN PRESS/ Geoff Robins) Alberta is on the brink of recording its worst rate of measles in nearly four decades, with experts predicting the province will surpass that milestone soon. The province reached 809 measles cases on Monday, with 31 new cases added in the North Zone (12), Central Zone (one) and South Zone (18). Alberta last recorded more than 800 cases in 1986, with 843, according to historical data. 'We're now seeing numbers that are the worst number of infections in 39 years, and we're only about 100 cases away from the 1970s, when vaccinations were introduced,' Craig Jenne, an infectious disease expert from the University of Calgary, said. As cases continue to rise, Alberta's interim chief medical health officer is warning parents to take precautions against measles heading into the summer travel season. Dr. Sunil Sookram sent a letter to parents and guardians last week highlighting that the majority of measles cases in the province are in children under the age of 18. 'As we approach the summer months and increased travel, I want to reiterate that you can protect yourselves, your loved ones and the people around them by ensuring measles immunizations are up to date,' Sookram said in the letter. 'For those who chose not to, it's important to understand the risk of illness and transmission of measles in Alberta is now at the highest it's been in 25 years.' As of Monday, 233 cases were in children under the age of five, while 376 were in kids aged five to 17. Dr. Sidd Thakore, a pediatrician at the Alberta Children's Hospital, noted that with 579 of the province's measles cases in the south health zone, they're starting to see more severe outcomes from the illness. 'The things we generally see them for, me working in the inpatient unit, is due to breathing problems: needing oxygen, needing more breathing support,' Thakore said. 'Now we're having patients going to ICU for more significant complications, be it inflammation of the brain we worry about or having severe breathing issues and needing more significant interventions.' As of Sunday, there were five people hospitalized due to measles throughout the province, including two in intensive care. The province is highlighting its awareness campaign, 'Don't Get Measles, Get Immunized,' which will aim to inform Albertans with social media, digital, print and radio advertising. 'We will be reviewing the success of this campaign and will determine if additional advertising is needed in the future to continue to raise awareness about the importance of keeping your immunizations up to date,' an official with Primary and Preventative Health Services said in a statement.
CTV News
29-05-2025
- Business
- CTV News
More vaccinations needed to curb Alberta measles cases: infectious diseases expert
University of Calgary Microbiology, Immunology & Infectious Diseases Professor Craig Jenne speaks with Alberta Primetime host Michael Higgins about the rising measles case numbers in the province This interview has been edited for clarity and length. Michael Higgins: The last time we spoke was in late March. At the time it was below the 50-case mark. Now it's more than 10 times that. What's to be made of the rate of growth or progression and what might that say about how it's spreading? Craig Jenne: I think what we've seen in the last two months is the transition from these localized exposures, so within family, households or single businesses, to now community level spread, and unfortunately measles is the most contagious virus we deal with. Now that it does have a toehold in the community, we can continue to expect these 100+ case weeks for the foreseeable future. MH: The province has released some stats on vaccination rates, telling CTV News more than 47,000 vaccines were administered province wide between March 16 and May 11. A 57 per cent increase over the same period last year. How much of an impact might that have on dynamics? CJ: Ultimately, vaccination is the single best tool we have to bring this in, but we have a long ways to go. There are a number of regions in the province where vaccine rates are below 50 per cent, and we know from past experience that to control measles, we need the community to have 95 per cent of the individuals vaccinated. So 45,000 doses, good start, but when we're talking about literally having to vaccinate millions of people, we still have a long ways to go. MH: Does there come a point where the case count peaks or levels off, or should Albertans just expect it to keep growing and growing and growing? CJ: I think unfortunately for the near future, they're going to continue to grow. We base this largely on what we see in other places of the world. In Ontario, they've been dealing with measles since early fall of last year, and if we look at Alberta's numbers on a per capita basis, recognizing we're smaller than Ontario, we've now eclipsed them in a matter of under three months. So the cases grow quite rapidly here, and as a result, it's going to require significant effort to bring that back under control. MH: How worrisome is that from a health standpoint? CJ: It's quite worrisome. We do know that, typically, we can tolerate a few measles cases every year. But as those numbers go up, again, previous outbreaks have shown us one to three children out of every 1,000 infections will likely lose their lives. So as the numbers grow, the risk of those severe outcomes, unfortunately, grows proportionally. MH: There had been site specific exposure advisories in the South Zone but since last Friday, that became a standing advisory. If it is that the exposure source isn't known, what comes of the challenge of tracking and attempting to contain it? CJ: Right now it's nearly impossible to track them in the South Zone. We are seeing measles acquisition in many different public places, and as a result, these health advisories are simply stating that there's a risk of measles pretty much anywhere in the community. We have seen cases from the B.C. border, through the province, and the south, to the Saskatchewan border. We do know it's there, we do know it's circulating in the community, and really the only personal defense when we don't have these localized exposures is immunization. MH: The South Zone, south of Calgary, includes cities like Lethbridge and Medicine Hat. If you don't live there, but you do plan on visiting, or maybe working in the region, what's advisable? CJ: Check your immunization status or if you, for whatever reason, are not immunized or cannot be immunized, you may have to reevaluate travel. We do also have to appreciate that in Alberta, we do have a lot of mobility, which is fantastic, but it means that if there's community level transmission in the south, that can move to other regions of the province. We continue to see cases in the north this week and we have large events coming. Between events such as Calgary Stampede and Rotary International that will see a lot of people come into the cities, there's a risk of measles transmission. MH: During the pandemic, there was much made of the impact on the health system, overloaded hospitals. If these measles cases are showing up in hospitals now and into the future, and in health clinics, what kind of impact does that have on the system itself? CJ: Measles presents a huge strain, largely because we do not want people who are feeling under the weather or potentially exposed, just to walk into a walk-in health clinic or assessment centre. We have to have special facilities or special handling for these cases. People who are sick with measles and require hospitalization. Again, the infection controls are quite labour intensive. It requires a lot of space and a lot of staff in order to ensure that that virus does not spread to others in the hospital, often others who may be immunocompromised for various reasons. MH: The province launched a new awareness campaign earlier this month. Changes have been made in making it easier to get vaccinated. How much of an impact is that having on the situation? CJ: Advertising and advocacy are really the best tools we have. We just need to ensure there is a full press on this, and what I mean by that is although there are some commercials out there, they're not coming up every day in multiple formats. In Calgary, I've only seen two or three of these commercials, despite the fact the campaign was launched nearly two weeks ago. So we really need to double down on this, we really need to convey that vaccines work, they're safe. We've been vaccinated for measles now for about four decades and it was through vaccination that we were able to achieve a measles-free status for Canada, a status that you know we're at risk of losing over the next several months.
CBC
29-05-2025
- Business
- CBC
Southern Alberta's 472 confirmed measles cases 'tip of the iceberg,' health official says
Social Sharing As southern Alberta battles its worst measles outbreak in decades, some doctors are warning the virus is more rampant than the case counts show and they're now struggling to keep up with demand. As of midday Wednesday, 628 cases had been confirmed in Alberta since the outbreaks began in March. The last time the province reported more cases was 1987, when 690 cases were confirmed. "Unfortunately I think, for at least parts of the province, this is no longer controllable," said Craig Jenne, a professor in the department of microbiology, immunology and infectious diseases at the University of Calgary. The vast majority of this year's cases — 472 cases as of Wednesday — are in the south zone. And the Taber Health Centre emergency department is dealing with high volumes of measles patients, according Dr. Eric Leishman, a family physician working there. "Almost every single patient that I have swabbed in the ER for suspected measles has tested positive," he said in an email. "For many of the measles patients we see in the ER, we are often told that they have multiple family members who have also had measles recently. So the number of reported official cases is only a fraction of actual cases that are out there." 'All hands on deck' A standing measles exposure advisory is now in effect for the entire zone due to widespread risk in southern Alberta. "Obviously, we are quite concerned … about those numbers, the number of hospitalizations, and how many more weeks [and] months we may be in this," said Dr. Vivien Suttorp, the lead medical officer of health for Alberta Health Services in the south zone "It's all hands on deck." According to Suttorp, teams from across the health system are working together to rein in the outbreaks. Hospitals, including the Taber facility, are equipped with negative pressure rooms to prevent spread of the airborne virus. Plans have also been made for stand-alone assessment and treatment centres, and those will be opened based on need. As well, teams are also testing and treating people in their homes to prevent onward transmission, she said. Confirmed case counts represent the "tip of the iceberg," according to Suttorp, and they're increasing rapidly. "Not everybody seeks medical care. Not everybody needs additional medical assessment," she said. "So we know that the numbers are larger than what we are seeing. The other piece is that it is spreading across southern Alberta in quite a short time period." She noted broader community transmission — where sporadic cases with no known source are identified — has been increasing over the last 10 days. Measles is highly contagious and can lead to serious complications, including pneumonia, brain inflammation (resulting in deafness, seizures or brain damage), premature delivery and even death. The Alberta government website states that between one and three of every 1,000 people infected will die. "It is extremely frustrating that our ER patient volumes are becoming nearly unmanageable due to an infectious disease that is preventable with routine immunization," said Leishman. Provincial data shows the vast majority of cases are among the unimmunized. "Many of our physicians are experiencing burnout and having difficulty with the increased volume of ER patients," he said. Another physician shared similar concerns about patient volumes, noting Taber is a small community with limited health-care workers, and nurses are also being asked to work more shifts. The province has identified the Municipal District of Taber, the County of Lethbridge and the County of Forty Mile as key hotspots in southern Alberta. According to provincial data, 55.8 per cent of two-year-olds in the south zone were fully vaccinated with two doses of the measles vaccine in 2024. The M.D. of Taber had the lowest rate at 28.7 per cent. That's far below the 95 per cent overall vaccination rate infectious disease experts say is needed for population level protection. Leishman calls the immunization rates in his community, "shockingly low." Provincial data shows a total of 44 Albertans had been hospitalized due to measles as of May 17. No deaths have been reported. "We have seen some bad outcomes, particularly in younger children and infants," said Leishman. "We have had several children who have required hospital admission, and even intubation due to respiratory distress." Some of the sickest children, from both the south and central zones, have been sent to Alberta Children's Hospital in Calgary for treatment in recent weeks. "There are many, many, many people across the province — but also in southern Alberta — that are at risk of being exposed and getting disease," said Suttorp. "It is important that families are aware of the serious complications and to seek medical attention early rather than late." Babies as young as six months old, who are living in the south, central and north zones, are being offered an early, and extra, vaccine dose. And Suttorp said AHS is working to ensure there are always immunization appointments available in rural areas No end in sight With the kind of rapid growth Alberta is experiencing combined with pockets of very low vaccination rates, experts say the outbreaks could last months. "This is in the community, and until we significantly change the playing field, the virus is going to continue to spread," said Jenne, who is also the deputy director of the Snyder Institute for Chronic Diseases. "The only thing that brings measles back under control is administration of vaccination, and that takes time and it takes public support and buy-in to do that." The Alberta government announced new steps, including an ad campaign, increased vaccine clinic access and a new measles hotline, earlier this month. "I really haven't seen a lot of the advertising campaign," said Jenne. "Despite the critical importance of getting vaccines out there, I'm not seeing the same urgency, and that remains a concern." Friends of Medicare is calling for "urgent action" from the government of Alberta, including more frequent updates from government and health officials. "It's clear the previously announced public campaign and steps for increased access to immunization in the central and south zones have not been enough to stop the spread in Alberta," executive director Chris Gallaway, said in news release on Monday. An official with the new Primary and Preventative Health Services Ministry told CBC News the government is taking the outbreak seriously and "continues to monitor the situation closely, particularly in areas with low immunization rates, such as the south zone." The province said it is committed to promoting immunization, noting that 3,895 vaccinations have been administered in the south zone since mid-March — more than double the number given out during the same period last year. According to the province, health officials have been on the ground working with the hardest hit communities, and the ad campaign will be translated into more than 14 languages "While this is encouraging, more needs to be done to increase immunization rates in various communities where cultural beliefs play a role in lower vaccination rates currently," the statement said. "Immunization remains our strongest defence, and we urge all Albertans to ensure their immunizations vaccinations are up to date," the statement said. The health official said people who cannot be vaccinated (including young infants, pregnant Albertans and those with specific immunocompromising conditions) can reduce their risk by socializing only with people who are immunized and avoiding indoor gatherings. Measles symptoms include: High fever. Cough. Runny nose. Red eyes. Blotchy, red rash that appears three to seven days after the fever starts. In darker skin colours, it may appear purple or darker than surrounding skin. Alberta Health provides detailed information on measles case counts, symptoms and free immunizations here. And a measles hotline is available for people with questions about symptoms, immunization records or to book an appointment: 1-844-944-3434. AHS is advising anyone with measles symptoms to stay home and call the hotline before visiting any hospital, medical clinic or pharmacy.
CBC
12-05-2025
- Health
- CBC
Why are measles case counts climbing so high in Alberta? Experts weigh in
Infectious disease experts are raising the alarm about measles spread in Alberta, warning case counts are far higher than neighbouring provinces and they're increasing rapidly. Alberta reported 116 more measles cases last week, pushing Alberta's total of confirmed cases to 326 as of Friday. "[It's] really the largest growth in the number of cases of measles — at least per capita — of any place in Canada," said Craig Jenne, professor of microbiology, immunology and infectious diseases at the University of Calgary. "It's going to be very difficult to rein this in." Alberta's case counts are second only to Ontario, which has reported more than 1,400 cases since its outbreaks began in October. That province, which has three times the population, recorded 197 new cases in its latest weekly update. Neighbouring provinces are not nearly as hard hit. As of Friday, British Columbia had reported eight cases and Saskatchewan's tally sat at 27. "We are almost at a tipping point where either we bring everything to the table and put some resources into trying to contain this or we might see numbers going up towards what we are seeing in Ontario," said Dr. Lynora Saxinger, an infectious diseases specialist at the University of Alberta. Alberta's south zone is the hardest hit with 200 cases as of Friday. The central zone had reported 86 cases by the end of the week. Why is Alberta so hard hit? "The single most predominant determinant of whether measles spreads is vaccine status," said Jenne. "Alberta is typically below most other jurisdictions. And there are regions of Alberta that are significantly below the other provinces, and these really provide the tinder for these growing fires of infectious disease." According to the Alberta government website, two doses of the measles vaccine offers nearly 100 per cent protection. Provincial data shows 71.6 per cent of seven-year-olds were up-to-date with both doses of the vaccine in 2024. That's far below the 95 per cent threshold experts say is needed for population-level protection. Next door in Saskatchewan, vaccination rates are higher. According to the Saskatchewan Ministry of Health, 87.4 per cent of seven-year-olds in that province were fully vaccinated with two doses of the measles vaccine in 2024. Meanwhile, data from British Columbia shows 72.4 per cent of children who turned seven in 2022 were up-to-date with two doses. To understand why outbreaks are growing the way they are, it's important to look at vaccination rates in localized areas where cases are occurring, according to Saxinger. She said there's been transmission in some small, close-knit communities with really low vaccination rates, which also happened in Ontario. "If you imagine a fire shooting off sparks, then where it lands — if there's tinder nearby or not — really determines what's going to happen," Saxinger said. If a measles case ends up in a social group where few people get immunized, cases will spread quickly. Provincial data shows that in Two Hills County, only 24 per cent of seven-year-olds were fully vaccinated with two doses in 2024. It's been one of Alberta's hot spots for cases. Other regions with very low vaccination rates include High Level (30.6 per cent), the County of Forty Mile (30.2 per cent) and the Municipal District of Taber (39.1 per cent). "Average numbers tend to under-represent areas in the province that might be significantly below the reported provincial areas, and it's those areas that really are the hot spots," said Jenne. Urban areas tend to have higher rates than rural parts of the province, he noted. In Ontario, immunization rates have also dropped over the past decade. That province's most recent data shows that 70.4 per cent of seven-year-olds were up-to-date with their measles vaccine in 2023-24. Immunization rates were as low as 24.6 per cent in the Halton region. How quickly a province responds and increases vaccination rates can also impact the severity of a measles outbreak, according to Saxinger. The speed of contact tracing, whether or not contacts agree to quarantine after exposure and whether or not they'll take post-exposure prophylaxis, are also factors, she said. "Those things make a big difference. And I think Ontario's had struggles in all of those. And we might be facing a similar situation." Delay concerns Measles is highly contagious and can lead to severe complications, including pneumonia, brain swelling and even death. Dr. James Talbot, a former chief medical officer of health for Alberta, calls the situation "concerning," noting there are more cases in the community than the numbers reflect. That's because there is a lag time between when people are exposed to the virus and when they develop symptoms, get tested and then have confirmation through lab testing. "The way infectious diseases work is exponentially," said Talbot during a media availability hosted by the Alberta Medical Association on Thursday. Once Alberta reaches a thousand cases, he explained, statistics show you can expect between one and three deaths. "We don't want to be in that situation," he said. "Our concern is that we had an opportunity to make a difference earlier on. We're in a situation now where those opportunities have passed and we're starting to see a significant increase in the disease." Following weeks of calls by health experts for a stronger response, the provincial government announced plans last week to improve immunization accessibility and launch an ad campaign promoting vaccination. But any bump in immunization rates resulting from those changes will take time to have an impact, he said. According to Talbot, once a person decides to get vaccinated and gets an appointment, it takes between seven and 14 days for immunity to take hold. "Not only are we behind the curve in terms of the numbers that are being reported out, we're potentially behind the curve in being able to respond and getting people as protected as possible." In a statement emailed to CBC News, an Alberta Health official acknowledged the measles outbreaks are having an impact on individuals, families and communities around the province. We continue to monitor the situation closely. Public health officials are doing an excellent job working with impacted communities, responding swiftly, and ensuring that appropriate measures are in place to help limit further spread," the spokesperson said. "Immunization remains our best defence, and we strongly encourage all Albertans to ensure their vaccinations are up-to-date." The province said some of its awareness campaign has already launched on social media and through online digital advertising. And print ads, with a focus on rural communities in central and south zones, as well as provincewide radio ads, are expected to launch this week. Alberta's early childhood immunization schedule recommends a first vaccine dose at 12 months and a second at 18 months. The province is offering babies as young as six months of age an early and extra dose if they live in or are travelling to the south, central or north zones.
CBC
28-04-2025
- Health
- CBC
Alberta's flu death toll highest in at least 16 years as vaccination rates drop
Alberta has experienced its deadliest flu season in recent memory and it's not over yet. According to provincial data, 193 Albertans have died due to influenza so far this season, surpassing last year's total of 175. That's the highest death toll since at least 2009. The previous major peak, in 2022-23, was 123 flu deaths. Death rates, based on population, are also the highest in at least 16 years. "I'm concerned now that after seeing this trend now for three years that this is becoming the new normal," said Craig Jenne, a professor in the department of microbiology, immunology and infectious diseases at the University of Calgary. While weekly case counts are dropping, influenza continues to take a toll. According to Alberta's respiratory virus dashboard, there are still 172 people hospitalized due to influenza and nine patients are in intensive care. "We continue seeing patients present to hospital with influenza," said Dr. Shelley Duggan, president of the Alberta Medical Association and a critical care specialist based in Edmonton. "We're still admitting them to the intensive care unit. We are still seeing outbreaks on hospital wards. We are still seeing patients who are getting influenza in hospital. So it's quite unusual." According to Duggan, the pressure on hospitals due to influenza is usually easing up by this time of year. Alberta Health said a number of factors can impact flu trends, including the predominant viral strain, individual behaviours and global trends. "This season saw increased co-circulation of both H1N1 and H3N2 influenza A strains. H3N2, in particular, is known to cause more severe illness in older adults," a spokesperson said in an emailed statement. "Alberta Health continuously monitors respiratory virus laboratory data, as well as hospitalizations and deaths related to influenza, COVID-19 and RSV. In addition, respiratory outbreaks in high-risk settings — such as long-term care facilities — are actively managed by Alberta Health Services and Public Health teams to help limit spread and protect vulnerable populations." Immunization campaigns "It's clear the status quo right now is not having an effect. And that is evidenced now by three records in a row of influenza deaths," said Jenne. He's concerned about Alberta's vaccination rates, which have plummeted in recent years. "I worry because many of these may be preventable deaths," said Jenne, who is also the deputy director of the Snyder Institute for Chronic Diseases. Publicly available data shows 21 per cent of Albertans have received a flu shot this season. That's the lowest uptake since 2009-10, when just 20 per cent rolled up their sleeves for an influenza vaccine. During the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, flu vaccination rates rose to 37 per cent. Prior to the pandemic, in 2018-19, that immunization rate was 31 per cent. "Years where we had high vaccine uptake we definitely saw reduced fatalities … and in years where vaccine rates dropped off, unfortunately we did see upticks in hospitalizations and deaths," said Jenne. He's calling on health officials to investigate the relationship between dropping vaccination rates and increasing deaths. Jenne is worried public health messaging is waning in Alberta and he's calling for a new approach. "Past years, there had been very public campaigns about flu shot clinics opening and, unfortunately, in the last several years, those have been much more muted," he said. He noted the number of Albertans without a family doctor to remind them about flu vaccination has grown. Duggan is also calling on the province to improve its fall immunization campaign and outreach. "It's important that we consider going into next year that we really need to be more aggressive and more conscious with a flu campaign and getting people vaccinated," she said. The province said all Albertans six months of age and older were eligible to receive a free flu shot again this season, and the universal immunization program will be available for the 2025-26 flu season "It's important to note that declining influenza vaccination rates are being observed across the country and are not unique to Alberta," the Alberta Health spokesperson said, noting key information is available through the province's respiratory virus dashboard. "Messaging is also shared at regular intervals via social media, with announcements on vaccine availability made in advance of each season. Alberta Health Services leads seasonal immunization campaigns during the peak respiratory virus period, using TV, radio, print, outdoor and digital advertising to reach Albertans." Alberta Health said it standardized influenza death reporting during the 2020-21 flu season so it's likely more deaths were captured from that point on. It also started including community deaths due to influenza, in addition to hospital deaths, during the 2021-22 flu season. Community deaths have accounted for between five and 16 flu deaths a year since counting began. Meanwhile, Duggan wants Albertans to know influenza can be deadly at any age. "We are seeing young people — maybe people in their 40s who might have diabetes who are getting influenza [and] who are then also getting another bacterial pneumonia on top of it — and unfortunately they can still die," she said.
