Latest news with #SiddThakore
Yahoo
22-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Alberta's measles case counts have topped 500 and doctors are worried
It has taken Alberta less than three months to top 500 measles cases sparking concern about the speed at which the virus is spreading and fears it could lead to the death of a child. By midday Wednesday, the province's total case count had surged to 505, more than doubling since the beginning of May. Alberta's outbreaks began in March. Dr. Sidd Thakore, a pediatrician at Alberta Children's Hospital, said some of the sickest kids from the south and central zones are at his hospital in Calgary for treatment. "100 per cent. We are seeing it now," he said. "There's some severe outcomes whether it's severe pneumonia or more severe issues with … inflammation of the brain. I've seen it myself, several times now in hospital." According to Thakore, some of these children are ending up in intensive care. The south zone is by far the hardest hit with 362 measles cases to date. The central zone has had 92 cases. Alberta Health confirmed on Tuesday one Albertan under the age of 18 was in ICU at that time. According to Thakore, it's difficult for parents and health care providers to watch children suffer from a vaccine-preventable illness. "You see the emotional toll it takes on the family and the psychological toll it takes on the family." Like most health care providers, he had never treated measles prior to this year's outbreaks. It was declared eliminated in Canada in 1998. Dr. Stephanie Smith, an infectious disease specialist at the University of Alberta Hospital, is not surprised Alberta's outbreaks have snowballed to 500 cases, given that the virus is so highly contagious. And she's worried about the potential for children to die as the outbreaks grow. "Statistically, the more cases we have the more likelihood that we will end up seeing a child that dies of measles," she said. A toddler died of measles in Ontario last year. And Texas, which has the worst outbreak in the United States, has reported two children have died due to measles this year. Both of them were unvaccinated, according to the state's health department. The Alberta government'smeasles website states between one and three in every 1,000 people infected with measles will die. Publicly available data shows 35 Albertans had been hospitalized due to measles as of May 10. "It's heartbreaking and terrible to see children with severe brain inflammation, severe liver inflammation ... or severe pneumonia … when many of those could have been prevented," Smith said. "The message is really quite simple: please, please, please get your children vaccinated if you haven't already." Two doses of the vaccine offer 97- to 98-per cent protection, she said. The vast majority of Alberta's cases have been among the unimmunized, provincial data shows. Alberta's routine childhood immunization schedule recommends children receive their first dose of the measles vaccine at 12 months of age and the second at 18 months. However, babies as young as six months old, who are living in the south, central and north zones, are being offered an early and extra dose due to the level of risk. Meanwhile, Smith believes there are likely more cases in the community that haven't been tested or confirmed. "It does not appear that we've hit our peak yet. And so I think we'll continue to see this increase in numbers of cases in these communities where there's very low vaccination rates," she said. 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 immunizationshere. A list of possible exposure alerts can be foundhere and a measles hotline is available for people with questions about symptoms, immunization records or to book an appointment: 1-844-944-3434
Yahoo
19-03-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
'It's the perfect storm': Doctors urge measles vaccinations as Alberta case counts rise
As concerns about measles grow, and case counts tick up, health-care workers are preparing for a surge and pleading with Albertans to ensure they're fully vaccinated. According to Alberta Health there were 13 confirmed cases in the province as of midday Tuesday, including two in the Calgary zone, three in the Edmonton zone and eight in the north zone. That's an increase of two cases (one each in the Calgary and Edmonton zones) since Monday, when the province reported one person was hospitalized with the highly contagious virus. While the province has yet to provide age ranges for the latest cases, as of Monday, the youngest Albertan confirmed with measles at this time is a baby under one year of age, and the oldest is an adult between the ages of 35 and 54. According to Alberta Health, the age breakdown, as of Monday, was as follows: Under one: 1 case Ages 1-4: 3 cases Ages 5 -9: 4 cases Ages 10-14: 2 cases Ages 35-54: 1 case "I think we're just at the tip of the iceberg," said Dr. Sidd Thakore, a pediatrician at the Alberta Children's Hospital, who expects Alberta will see more cases in the next couple weeks. "It's the perfect storm of a very contagious virus — that can last in the air or on surfaces — and with people that are not as vaccinated [as] before. I think we're going to see pockets of it increasing in the next one to two weeks." In addition to being airborne, Thakore said the virus can also be difficult to contain because people can be contagious for up to four days before the rash appears. He said Alberta Children's Hospital staff are preparing for more cases of a vaccine-preventable illness some of them have never had to deal with before. "In the early 2000s you never heard about it. You never saw it," he said. "Now we're seeing it and we're going to have to deal with it. So my whole group in the hospital, we're just making sure we're up to date on what needs to be done." Seeing Alberta's case count rise is frustrating for physicians, including Dr. Isabelle Chapados. "This is 100 per cent preventable," said Chapados, a clinical assistant professor of pediatrics at the University of Alberta. "It was written in the sky as rates of vaccination were coming down." Alberta's routine childhood immunization schedule recommends children get two doses of the measles vaccine — the first at 12 months and the second at 18 months of age. However, vaccination rates have been dropping. Provincial data shows 69.3 per cent of Alberta children were fully vaccinated with two doses by the age of two in 2023, with some parts of the province dipping well below 50 per cent. The target is 95 per cent. Thakore is urging people to ensure they and their children are fully vaccinated. People who are unsure should talk to their health care provider, he said. "It would be very unfortunate if you're not getting vaccinated because of false information," he said. "The measles vaccine is a safe vaccine. And it works." According to the Public Health Agency of Canada, the single MMR (measles, mumps, rubella) vaccine was introduced in the provinces between 1974 and 1983. The routine two-dose MMR vaccine was brought in nationally between 1996 and 1997. The country saw a dramatic decrease in measles cases after the vaccine was introduced, and in 1998 the virus was considered "eliminated" in Canada because endemic transmission was no longer taking place. Daily updates Alberta's Health Minister, Adriana LaGrange, said the province is working to get information out to Albertans. "We've seen vaccine hesitancy not just in Alberta, but right across Canada and globally. So we're giving the information out as much as possible," she said on Monday. Alberta Health plans to start publishing a daily update on measles case counts on Tuesday. The numbers are expected to be updated at 12:30 p.m. from Monday to Friday. When asked about whether or not she endorses two doses of the measles vaccine, LaGrange said she does. "We continue to work with young families and make sure they have the information they need to make good choices for themselves and their families," LaGrange said. Measles can be dangerous, leading to complications including swelling of the brain, pneumonia and even death, Alberta Health says. "That's scary. So that's the risk we have to deal with and we may be facing ... over these next couple of weeks," said Thakore. Between one and three in every 1,000 people who contract the virus will die, the province said. And more than 90 per cent of people who are not immune to measles and who come into contact with the virus will become infected. Babies are among those most at risk, Chapados said, because they're not protected until after they get their second dose at 18 months. "The only protection we have is to collectively all get our vaccinations done. Otherwise those babies are sitting ducks," she said. Adults born before 1970 are likely immune because measles circulated widely at that time, according to the province. People born on or after 1970 are susceptible if they don't have two doses, AHS said. Meanwhile, the province said it's aware of several separate and unrelated ways that measles was introduced into Alberta, noting it was brought in through an Ontario connection and through "at least two international sites." The Alberta government's measles website provides more information on how the virus spreads, its symptoms, immunization and what to do if you think you may be infected.
CBC
18-03-2025
- Health
- CBC
'It's the perfect storm': Doctors urge measles vaccinations as Alberta case counts rise
Social Sharing As concerns about measles grow, and case counts tick up, health-care workers are preparing for a surge and pleading with Albertans to ensure they're fully vaccinated. Alberta Health said there were 11 confirmed cases in the province as of Monday afternoon, including one in the Calgary zone, two in the Edmonton zone and eight in the north zone. One person is currently hospitalized with the highly contagious virus. The youngest Albertan confirmed with measles at this time is a baby under one year of age, and the oldest is an adult between the ages of 35 and 54. According to Alberta Health, the age breakdown is as follows: Under one: 1 case Ages 1-4: 3 cases Ages 5 -9: 4 cases Ages 10-14: 2 cases Ages 35-54: 1 case "I think we're just at the tip of the iceberg," said Dr. Sidd Thakore, a pediatrician at the Alberta Children's Hospital, who expects Alberta will see more cases in the next couple weeks. "It's the perfect storm of a very contagious virus — that can last in the air or on surfaces — and with people that are not as vaccinated [as] before. I think we're going to see pockets of it increasing in the next one to two weeks." In addition to being airborne, Thakore said the virus can also be difficult to contain because people can be contagious for up to four days before the rash appears. He said Alberta Children's Hospital staff are preparing for more cases of a vaccine-preventable illness some of them have never had to deal with before. "In the early 2000s you never heard about it. You never saw it," he said. "Now we're seeing it and we're going to have to deal with it. So my whole group in the hospital, we're just making sure we're up to date on what needs to be done." Seeing Alberta's case count rise is frustrating for physicians, including Dr. Isabelle Chapados. "This is 100 per cent preventable," said Chapados, a clinical assistant professor of pediatrics at the University of Alberta. "It was written in the sky as rates of vaccination were coming down." Alberta's routine childhood immunization schedule recommends children get two doses of the measles vaccine — the first at 12 months and the second at 18 months of age. However, vaccination rates have been dropping. Provincial data shows 69.3 per cent of Alberta children were fully vaccinated with two doses by the age of two in 2023, with some parts of the province dipping well below 50 per cent. The target is 95 per cent. Thakore is urging people to ensure they and their children are fully vaccinated. People who are unsure should talk to their health care provider, he said. "It would be very unfortunate if you're not getting vaccinated because of false information," he said. "The measles vaccine is a safe vaccine. And it works." According to the Public Health Agency of Canada, the single MMR (measles, mumps, rubella) vaccine was introduced in the provinces between 1974 and 1983. The routine two-dose MMR vaccine was brought in nationally between 1996 and 1997. The country saw a dramatic decrease in measles cases after the vaccine was introduced, and in 1998 the virus was considered "eliminated" in Canada because endemic transmission was no longer taking place. Daily updates Alberta's Health Minister, Adriana LaGrange, said the province is working to get information out to Albertans. "We've seen vaccine hesitancy not just in Alberta, but right across Canada and globally. So we're giving the information out as much as possible," she said on Monday. Alberta Health plans to start publishing a daily update on measles case counts on Tuesday. The numbers are expected to be updated at 12:30 p.m. from Monday to Friday. When asked about whether or not she endorses two doses of the measles vaccine, LaGrange said she does. "We continue to work with young families and make sure they have the information they need to make good choices for themselves and their families," LaGrange said. Measles can be dangerous, leading to complications including swelling of the brain, pneumonia and even death, Alberta Health says. "That's scary. So that's the risk we have to deal with and we may be facing ... over these next couple of weeks," said Thakore. Between one and three in every 1,000 people who contract the virus will die, the province said. And more than 90 per cent of people who are not immune to measles and who come into contact with the virus will become infected. Babies are among those most at risk, Chapados said, because they're not protected until after they get their second dose at 18 months. "The only protection we have is to collectively all get our vaccinations done. Otherwise those babies are sitting ducks," she said. Adults born before 1970 are likely immune because measles circulated widely at that time, according to the province. People born on or after 1970 are susceptible if they don't have two doses, AHS said. Meanwhile, the province said it's aware of several separate and unrelated ways that measles was introduced into Alberta, noting it was brought in through an Ontario connection and through "at least two international sites."
CBC
18-03-2025
- Health
- CBC
'It's a perfect storm': Doctors urge measles vaccinations as Alberta case counts rise
Social Sharing As concerns about measles grow, and case counts tick up, health-care workers are preparing for a surge and pleading with Albertans to ensure they're fully vaccinated. Alberta Health said there were 11 confirmed cases in the province as of Monday afternoon, including one in the Calgary zone, two in the Edmonton zone and eight in the north zone. One person is currently hospitalized with the highly contagious virus. The youngest Albertan confirmed with measles at this time is a baby under one year of age, and the oldest is an adult between the ages of 35 and 54. According to Alberta Health, the age breakdown is as follows: Under one: 1 case Ages 1-4: 3 cases Ages 5 -9: 4 cases Ages 10-14: 2 cases Ages 35-54: 1 case "I think we're just at the tip of the iceberg," said Dr. Sidd Thakore, a pediatrician at the Alberta Children's Hospital, who expects Alberta will see more cases in the next couple weeks. "It's the perfect storm of a very contagious virus — that can last in the air or on surfaces — and with people that are not as vaccinated [as] before. I think we're going to see pockets of it increasing in the next one to two weeks." In addition to being airborne, Thakore said the virus can also be difficult to contain because people can be contagious for up to four days before the rash appears. He said Alberta Children's Hospital staff are preparing for more cases of a vaccine-preventable illness some of them have never had to deal with before. "In the early 2000s you never heard about it. You never saw it," he said. "Now we're seeing it and we're going to have to deal with it. So my whole group in the hospital, we're just making sure we're up to date on what needs to be done." Seeing Alberta's case count rise is frustrating for physicians, including Dr. Isabelle Chapados. "This is 100 per cent preventable," said Chapados, a clinical assistant professor of pediatrics at the University of Alberta. "It was written in the sky as rates of vaccination were coming down." Alberta's routine childhood immunization schedule recommends children get two doses of the measles vaccine — the first at 12 months and the second at 18 months of age. However, vaccination rates have been dropping. Provincial data shows 69.3 per cent of Alberta children were fully vaccinated with two doses by the age of two in 2023, with some parts of the province dipping well below 50 per cent. The target is 95 per cent. Thakore is urging people to ensure they and their children are fully vaccinated. People who are unsure should talk to their health care provider, he said. "It would be very unfortunate if you're not getting vaccinated because of false information," he said. "The measles vaccine is a safe vaccine. And it works." According to the Public Health Agency of Canada, the single MMR (measles, mumps, rubella) vaccine was introduced in the provinces between 1974 and 1983. The routine two-dose MMR vaccine was brought in nationally between 1996 and 1997. The country saw a dramatic decrease in measles cases after the vaccine was introduced, and in 1998 the virus was considered "eliminated" in Canada because endemic transmission was no longer taking place. Daily updates Alberta's Health Minister, Adriana LaGrange, said the province is working to get information out to Albertans. "We've seen vaccine hesitancy not just in Alberta, but right across Canada and globally. So we're giving the information out as much as possible," she said on Monday. Alberta Health plans to start publishing a daily update on measles case counts on Tuesday. The numbers are expected to be updated at 12:30 p.m. from Monday to Friday. When asked about whether or not she endorses two doses of the measles vaccine, LaGrange said she does. "We continue to work with young families and make sure they have the information they need to make good choices for themselves and their families," LaGrange said. Measles can be dangerous, leading to complications including swelling of the brain, pneumonia and even death, Alberta Health says. "That's scary. So that's the risk we have to deal with and we may be facing ... over these next couple of weeks," said Thakore. Between one and three in every 1,000 people who contract the virus will die, the province said. And more than 90 per cent of people who are not immune to measles and who come into contact with the virus will become infected. Babies are among those most at risk, Chapados said, because they're not protected until after they get their second dose at 18 months. "The only protection we have is to collectively all get our vaccinations done. Otherwise those babies are sitting ducks," she said. Adults born before 1970 are likely immune because measles circulated widely at that time, according to the province. People born on or after 1970 are susceptible if they don't have two doses, AHS said. Meanwhile, the province said it's aware of several separate and unrelated ways that measles was introduced into Alberta, noting it was brought in through an Ontario connection and through "at least two international sites."
