Latest news with #NorthernHealth
CBC
22-07-2025
- Health
- CBC
More disruptions to maternity services possible across B.C., health minister says
B.C.'s health minister says more disruptions could be coming to maternity services across the province after people with high-risk pregnancies in Prince George were warned they could be sent out of the city for care starting in August. Prince George is the largest service centre in northern B.C. and often provides health-care services for the entire region. But in a notice to patients on Monday, Northern Health said a shortage of obstetrical specialists could limit care options available to expecting parents in the city. "There will be occasions where we may need to transfer you (at no cost to you) to another centre in the province to ensure the safety of you and your baby," the health authority said. "The situation... is constantly evolving, and we are working to find coverage for any upcoming service gaps." Prince George is the latest in a wave of maternity care disruptions hitting communities across B.C. In May, doctors in Kelowna warned maternity services were on the verge of collapse amid a shortage of family physicians. Earlier this year, Dawason Creek's only obstetrician-gynecologist left the community, forcing high-risk patients to travel an hour north to Fort St. John for care. Despite recent efforts by the province to train and recruit more workers, Health Minister Josie Osborne says challenges to fill staff shortages remain. "I think there is a possibility that we will see that kind of strain on services elsewhere," Osborne said at an unrelated news conference on Monday. "The health authorities, I know, are doing everything that they can to alleviate that strain, to work with physicians and care teams to ensure that services are there for people." Osborne acknowledged the anxiety the disruptions are causing families, and said that no one in need of care would be turned away when a birth is imminent. "We'll do everything we can to support people in that incredible time of need," Osborne said. The province says it received almost 780 job applications from qualified American health professionals as part of its recruitment campaign in the U.S. Of the applications received between May and June, 181 were for Interior Health, 154 for Fraser Health, 121 for Vancouver Coastal Health, 112 for Island Health, and 63 for Northern Health. Osborne says more than 2,250 doctors, nurses and other health professionals have signed up for webinars and expressed interest in working in B.C. since the recruitment drive began in March.
National Observer
11-07-2025
- Health
- National Observer
Ten British Columbians in hospital with measles as disease spreads in north
Ten people are hospitalized with measles in British Columbia, with one active, contagious case as of July 8, the province's health ministry said. It said the infections are among 102 confirmed cases this year, with most involving people who were not fully immunized. Deputy Provincial Health Officer Dr. Martin Lavoie said in an update on Thursday that cases are mostly centred in northern BC, with the Northern Health authority reporting 71 infections so far this year. Lavoie said the highly contagious disease started spreading "broadly" at the end of May, and has since found "pockets of un-immunized people" in northern BC and elsewhere. 'So we don't know exactly what will occur, because we are really trying to curb the spread as much as possible, but it will run its course, unfortunately, more than likely in that group of people,' he said. '(Once) you have a case, it tends to expose others very quickly and many are susceptible.' Lavoie said the province had taken steps to identify those unimmunized communities, adding that his office highly recommended immunization, which he said was safe and effective. He said BC's immunization rate of about 84 per cent was quite good but not perfect, while BC Health Minister Josie Osborne said getting immunized is the best thing BC residents can do to protect themselves and others. The update comes after people who attended a prenatal clinic in Fort St. John, BC, were told this week that they may have been exposed to measles, with Northern Health saying up to 20 patients were exposed. The tally of BC measles cases was up slightly from Monday, when the BC Centre for Disease Control reported 99 infections. Six of the 10 confirmed hospitalization cases in BC are located in Northern Health, with one in each of the four other health regions. BC released its latest case figures one day after Alberta had reported 1,230 infections since March. While Ontario has reported the highest absolute number of cases with 2,244 confirmed infections since October, Alberta leads not only Canada, but also North America on a per-capita basis. Lavoie said his office isn't concerned that BC could be facing a similar situation. "So we are very close to Alberta, of course, so they could be a source (of measles) for us as people travel back and forth," he said. "We think our coverage rates are actually not in a bad place. I said they were good, not perfect, so I would doubt we would see something that big." Lavoie also acknowledged the high case count in Ontario in urging British Columbians to protect themselves. Ontario reported last Thursday that an eighth infant had been born with congenital measles since the outbreak began last fall. Infants can contract congenital measles in the womb through their mothers who are not vaccinated, resulting in severe complications, including inflammation of the brain and death. The latest data in Ontario shows 48 pregnant people have been infected with measles, and Ontario's chief medical officer Dr. Kieran Moore announced in early June that an infant born prematurely and infected with measles died in southwestern Ontario. Dr. Jennifer Vines, public health physician at the BC Centre for Disease Control, said during Thursday's update that BC has not yet seen such a case. "But we are preparing for it by engaging pregnancy experts to prepare for everything we need to know on how to manage measles in pregnancy … so we can be prepared for this unfortunate possibility," Vines said. Vines said the Ontario congenital cases reinforce the importance of everybody getting vaccinated, "but in particular, anyone who is pregnant, who knows they are susceptible to measles, getting quick follow up if they think, they have had a measles exposure, or seeking advice right away from their pregnancy provider." Lavoie said people who are pregnant and infants, including children less than 12 months old are at risk of being infected with measles. Pregnant women and young children under the age of five also fall among the groups with a higher risk of complications and death.
CTV News
10-07-2025
- Health
- CTV News
B.C.'s health minister to provide update on measles cases amid new exposures
B.C.'s health minister is set to provide an update on measles cases in the province Thursday morning. It comes as officials warn of new potential exposures to the highly contagious disease. According to the latest data from the B.C. Centre for Disease Control, there is currently one active case in the Fraser Health region. There have been 99 cases so far in 2025, most of which were in the Northern Health region. Officials are warning of a number of potential new exposures. The first was at the Fort St. John Prenatal Clinic on June 27 between 10:30 a.m. and 1:15 p.m. There were also reports at the Fort St. John Hospital emergency department on July 4 from 3:30 p.m. to July 5 at 2 a.m., July 1 from 4:35 a.m. to 6:05 a.m., and from 6:35 p.m. to July 2 at 12:03 a.m. Cases are at a 27-year high in Canada, with more than 3,700 reported. Alberta has the most infections in North America on a per capita basis, with more than 1,200 cases since March. Since the introduction of the measles vaccine, rates of infections have dropped greatly in Canada and around the world. However, measles is making a resurgence as immunization rates decline. Symptoms of measles include fever, cough, runny nose, and red and inflamed eyes that are often sensitive to light. These symptoms are followed by a rash, which starts first on the face and neck, and spreads to the chest, arms and legs. The rash lasts about four to seven days and there may also be small white spots inside the mouth. Symptoms can start between seven and 21 days after a person is infected with the measles virus. Measles is a serious illness that can also lead to complications including pneumonia, encephalitis (swelling of the brain), and even death. If you have confirmed measles, you're asked to stay home and isolate for at least four days after the rash first appeared.
CTV News
08-07-2025
- Health
- CTV News
Public health warns of measles exposure at Fort St. John, B.C., prenatal clinic
Warning signage for suspected cases of measles is seen outside the main entrance of Woodstock General Hospital in Woodstock, Ont., Thursday, May 22, 2025. (Nicole Osborne / The Canadian Press) FORT ST. JOHN — People who attended a prenatal clinic in Fort St. John, B.C., have been told they may have been exposed to measles. The Northern Health authority says in a statement on social media that the exposure happened on June 27, between 10:30 a.m. from 1:15 p.m. The authority says people who may have been exposed need to monitor for symptoms, including fever and rash. It advises that they seek medical attention if they experience severe symptoms, such as difficulty breathing, confusion, persistent high fever or dehydration. The B.C. Centre for Disease Control says about 100 cases of measles have been reported in the province so far this year and more than two-thirds of those were in the Northern Health region. Ontario's chief medical officer of health said last month that since that province's outbreak began last fall, six babies were born with congenital measles — meaning they were infected in the womb through unvaccinated mothers — and one infant died. This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 8, 2025.
Yahoo
07-07-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Northern Health warns of possible measles exposure at prenatal clinic in Fort St. John, B.C.
Northern Health is warning residents of a potential measles exposure at a prenatal clinic in the Fort St. John, B.C., area. In a social media post, the health authority said the potential exposure happened at Fort St. John Prenatal Clinic at 8407 112 Ave. on June 27, between 10:30 a.m. and 1:15 p.m. Anyone who may have been exposed is asked to monitor for symptoms. Those include fever, a blotchy rash, a cough and red, watery eyes. Health officials have stressed that anyone who isn't vaccinated is vulnerable to measles and they encourage everyone to ensure they are up to date on their measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccines. Transmission of measles during pregnancy is rare, according to specialists, and if a baby contracts the disease from the mother in utero, the impact will depend on how far along the pregnancy is. "Your risk of transmitting the infection to the baby varies during the different trimesters because of the development of the fetus, the development of the placenta and the blood flow," says Dr. Jacqueline Wong, a pediatric infectious disease specialist at McMaster Children's Hospital in Hamilton, Ont. WATCH | Measles risks during pregnancy: Dr. Sheryl Choo, a maternal-fetal medicine specialist at Royal Alexandra Hospital in Edmonton, says serious complications can result if people who are pregnant become infected with measles. For instance, she says, pregnant people infected with measles can develop lung infections like pneumonia at almost double the rate of those who are not pregnant. She says it can also increase the risk of serious complications, including miscarriage and premature birth. Babies born to those infected with measles can also face complications related to premature birth — on top of the potential measles symptoms — such as low birth weight and breathing issues, which can result in stays in the neonatal intensive care unit. Doctors say the measles vaccine isn't recommended to be administered to people who are already pregnant, and that it's best to get it before pregnancy. That's because the measles vaccine contains a live strain that is a weakened form of the virus. In contrast, vaccines that contain inactivated viruses — like the flu vaccine — can be given during pregnancy. Pregnant people who may have been exposed to measles are advised to contact their local health authority, who can determine if exposure occurred and direct patients to seek appropriate care without contributing to further spread.
