Latest news with #JamesTalbot
Global News
5 days ago
- Health
- Global News
Alberta health experts say wastewater testing may offer early detection of measles
Health experts embraced it as a valuable tool to help track the spread of COVID-19 during the pandemic. Now, those same experts say it may also help health officials get the jump on preventing measles outbreaks in places like Alberta, a province that now has the notorious reputation of having surpassed the entire United States for the number of lab-confirmed cases of the highly-infectious virus. 'I think surveillance is best when you have a number of different ways of following the disease and molecular testing of wastewater proved its worth during COVID,' said Alberta's former chief public health officer, Dr. James Talbot. 'It identifies when a virus has moved into new territory. It can be the earliest signal for that. It tells you whether the situation is getting better or worse, which is very important to know,' added Talbot. Story continues below advertisement 'And finally, when you're taking measures to control it, that kind of surveillance can tell you whether the measures are working or not.' 2:09 Data from wastewater helps ease Alberta's pandemic data problem Dr. Xiaoli Pang, a professor in the Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology at the University of Alberta, has been testing wastewater from 12 treatment plants across Alberta, once a week, since April 1. 'We never can replace clinical testing, because we are not able to detect who is infected, how many people are infected — we are just, through the community, (doing) population-based monitoring,' said Pang. Get weekly health news Receive the latest medical news and health information delivered to you every Sunday. Sign up for weekly health newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy Because the incubation period for measles can be up to three weeks — from exposure to the appearance of symptoms — Pang said the testing may be able to provide health officials with early detection of where outbreaks could occur, providing them with valuable information on where to focus their vaccination and education efforts. Story continues below advertisement The testing can also distinguish between the disease strain of measles and the strain used to produce the vaccine — which means it might also be useful to help determine how much of the population in a particular region has already been vaccinated. 'This disease is a predictable disease. If you apply a vaccine, you get protected, so that is important information for public health,' added Pang. One of the shortcomings of the wastewater testing is it likely does not accurately reflect the infection rate in babies or young children who may still use a diaper. According to the Alberta government, about a third of the people in the province infected with measles are under 5 years of age. But many health experts claim use of the existing system of clinical testing is likely also underestimating the size of the measles problem in Alberta. 'The surveillance system that's in place right now is likely to be undercounting the number of cases,' said Talbot, 'particularly in the summer, because there's so many opportunities during the summer for the measles virus to spread, as kids go to sports camps, Bible camps, family gatherings, summer camps and big events too, like the Calgary Stampede.' View image in full screen A special computerized device, installed over a modified manhole in Calgary, was used to help test for the Covid-19 virus during the pandemic. Global News Despite the promising results, however, Pang said the wastewater testing program is short on funding. Story continues below advertisement 'I'm only able to plan to monitor measles until end of this year,' said Pang. 'I believe this virus is (going to) continue to cause a huge problem and we may not be able to continue. 'So that is a challenge.' 2:05 COVID-19: What is wastewater testing, and how effective is it? Global News asked the Alberta government if it plans to use wastewater testing to help in the fight against measles. The Ministry of Primary and Preventative Health Services provided a written statement that said, 'public health officials are reviewing this data to determine its relevance during the current outbreak. However, because measles is a notifiable disease with clear, recognizable symptoms, the vast majority of cases are identified through routine public health surveillance.' The statement continued, 'At this stage, measles wastewater surveillance is considered an exploratory tool and is not anticipated to support earlier case detection, as public health already has a clear understanding of where cases are occurring and how the virus is spreading.' Story continues below advertisement Talbot, however, who has been highly critical of the province's efforts to prevent the spread of measles, believes wastewater testing could be another valuable tool for the province to use. 'You know, the provincial government is fond of saying that getting immunized is a personal decision, which of course it is,' said Talbot. 'But they never go on to make the second point, which is that although it's a personal decision, it has consequences for other people.'
Hamilton Spectator
09-07-2025
- Health
- Hamilton Spectator
Alberta has highest measles cases per capita in North America as summer travel gets underway
Alberta has the most measles cases in North America on a per-capita basis, worrying experts who say summer events could push case counts even higher. The province's former chief medical officers of health Dr. Mark Joffe says that's twice the rate of confirmed cases in Ontario. Ontario has been deemed Canada's epicentre of the outbreak in absolute case numbers, reporting 1,910 confirmed infections since its outbreak began in October, but with a population three times the size as Alberta. Alberta reported yesterday that 1,230 people have been infected with the highly contagious disease since March. This comes as the province's largest event, the Calgary Stampede, is underway, along with summer camps, family gatherings and interprovincial travel. In the United States, there have been 1,288 confirmed measles cases this year according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's latest data. Dr. James Talbot, another former chief medical officer of health in Alberta, says the province has even outpaced India on a per-capita basis, which has approximately 10,000 measle cases, but a population of 1.4 million. This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 9, 2025. Canadian Press health coverage receives support through a partnership with the Canadian Medical Association. CP is solely responsible for this content.
Global News
09-07-2025
- Health
- Global News
As summer travel gets underway, Alberta has highest measles cases per capita in North America
See more sharing options Send this page to someone via email Share this item on Twitter Share this item via WhatsApp Share this item on Facebook Alberta has the most measles cases in North America on a per-capita basis, worrying experts who say summer events could push case counts even higher. The province's former chief medical officers of health Dr. Mark Joffe says that's twice the rate of confirmed cases in Ontario. Ontario has been deemed Canada's epicentre of the outbreak in absolute case numbers, reporting 1,910 confirmed infections since its outbreak began in October, but with a population three times the size as Alberta. Alberta reported yesterday that 1,230 people have been infected with the highly contagious disease since March. Get weekly health news Receive the latest medical news and health information delivered to you every Sunday. Sign up for weekly health newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy This comes as the province's largest event, the Calgary Stampede, is underway, along with summer camps, families gatherings and interprovincial travel. In the United States, there have been 1,288 confirmed measles cases this year according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's latest data. Story continues below advertisement Dr. James Talbot, another former chief medical officer of health in Alberta, says the province has even outpaced India on a per-capita basis, which has approximately 10,000 measle cases, but a population of 1.4 million. 2:22 Health Matters: Concern over measles spreading within Canada this summer
Winnipeg Free Press
09-07-2025
- Health
- Winnipeg Free Press
Alberta has highest measles cases per capita in North America as summer travel gets underway
Alberta has the most measles cases in North America on a per-capita basis, worrying experts who say summer events could push case counts even higher. The province's former chief medical officers of health Dr. Mark Joffe says that's twice the rate of confirmed cases in Ontario. Ontario has been deemed Canada's epicentre of the outbreak in absolute case numbers, reporting 1,910 confirmed infections since its outbreak began in October, but with a population three times the size as Alberta. Alberta reported yesterday that 1,230 people have been infected with the highly contagious disease since March. This comes as the province's largest event, the Calgary Stampede, is underway, along with summer camps, families gatherings and interprovincial travel. In the United States, there have been 1,288 confirmed measles cases this year according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's latest data. Dr. James Talbot, another former chief medical officer of health in Alberta, says the province has even outpaced India on a per-capita basis, which has approximately 10,000 measle cases, but a population of 1.4 million. This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 9, 2025. Canadian Press health coverage receives support through a partnership with the Canadian Medical Association. CP is solely responsible for this content.
Economic Times
21-06-2025
- Health
- Economic Times
Alberta has become the second Canadian province, after Ontario, to cross more than 1,000 confirmed measles cases in 2025
What is measles? Live Events Situation in Ontario (You can now subscribe to our (You can now subscribe to our Economic Times WhatsApp channel Health officials confirmed 24 new infections within a single day, bringing the total to 1,020 by Friday noon(June 20). Of those, 25 cases remain active. Though no deaths have been reported in Alberta , experts warn the situation is becoming more serious, particularly for vulnerable Primary and Preventive Health Services Ministry confirmed that at least one baby has been born with congenital measles. While exact numbers were not shared, officials stated there were 'fewer than five' such cases, all involving unvaccinated mothers. Additionally, 20 pregnant individuals have contracted measles , with fewer than five requiring is highly contagious but largely preventable through vaccination. Two doses of the measles, mumps, and rubella ( MMR ) vaccine offer nearly complete protection. Experts say 95 percent vaccine coverage is necessary to achieve herd immunity, a benchmark many areas in Alberta still fall short James Talbot, Alberta's former chief medical officer of health, says the 1,000-case milestone is a warning sign: 'If the measures were working, we'd see the numbers going down and we wouldn't see spread to new areas. And both of those are happening.'Talbot expects a summer spike in infections as travel increases, warning that cities like Edmonton, which had avoided major outbreaks, could soon see a rise. Alberta Health Services (AHS) reported the first new Edmonton cases on Friday since early May, just a day after warning of exposures in the city, including at the Stollery Children's Hospital on June 18 and born in or after 1970 with fewer than two documented MMR doses may be at has administered more than 67,000 measles vaccine doses, a 55 percent increase over the same period last year. In the South Zone, uptake rose 130 percent. Still, health experts worry that if immunization rates don't improve, more severe outcomes such as brain damage, miscarriage, and death could to national data, between one and three in every 1,000 measles patients die. Another one in 1,000 may develop encephalitis, a potentially fatal brain the first province to pass 1,000 cases in April, now reports nearly 2,180 cases, including six congenital infections and one infant death. Combined, Ontario and Alberta now account for more than 90 percent of all measles cases in Canada this year.'If we don't act faster,' Dr. Talbot warns, 'Canada could lose its measles elimination status by October, a public health achievement held since 1998.'For now, AHS urges anyone experiencing symptoms, fever over 38.3°C, cough, red eyes, or a rash, to call the measles hotline (1-844-944-3434) before visiting clinics or hospitals.
