N.S. reports measles case in Pictou County, warns of possible exposure at hospital
Nova Scotia is reporting its second case of measles this year – this time in Pictou County – and is warning of a possible exposure at the hospital in New Glasgow.
Nova Scotia Health is still trying to determine the exact source of infection, but says the case is related to travel within Canada, to an area with known measles cases.
The health authority is also investigating additional contacts who are ill with measles-like symptoms.
'As part of the routine investigation and follow up of any measles case, Public Health is directly notifying people who are known to have had close contact with the case,' said Nova Scotia Health in a news release Monday.
'This will allow us to ensure up-to-date immunization and identify further cases as quickly as possible.'
Health officials believe exposures are limited, but they say anyone who was at the following location may have been exposed and should watch for symptoms:
Aberdeen Hospital emergency department on July 5 between 5 p.m. and 8 p.m.
Anyone who was at the ER during that time and is pregnant, immunocompromised, or under the age of 12 months old is urged to contact Public Health immediately at 1-902-893-5820. Nova Scotia Health says they may be eligible for post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP), which can help prevent measles after being exposed.
People who were exposed to measles could expect to develop symptoms anywhere between July 12 and Aug. 2.
Anyone who may have been exposed is asked to call Public Health at 902-481-5824 and leave a voicemail sharing the details of their exposure and signs and symptoms. Public Health will help arrange measles testing and use the information to find others who may have been exposed.
Nova Scotia Health says the risk to the general public is low since most people are protected from measles through vaccination or from a previous infection.
Second measles case in Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia last reported a case of measles in May in an adult from the Halifax area. The province said that person fell ill after travelling to the United States.
Before then, Nova Scotia's last case was in 2023 and was also related to travel.
Spike in cases
Canada has seen a surge in measles cases since the fall.
New Brunswick reported 50 cases in the fall of 2024. It declared the outbreak over in January. No cases have been reported there this year.
P.E.I. confirmed two cases of measles in April – the first cases in the province in more than a decade.
Ontario and Alberta have seen the most cases, with more than 2,200 in Ontario and more than 1,000 in Alberta.
What is measles?
Measles is a highly contagious disease that can lead to serious health issues or even death. It spreads when an infected person breathes, coughs or sneezes.
Measles has an incubation period of seven to 21 days after infection. Initial symptoms of measles include:
fever
cough
runny nose
red, watery eyes
small, white spots, which may appear inside the mouth and throat two to three days after symptoms begin.
More severe cases of measles can lead to pneumonia, ear infections, swelling of the brain, blindness, deafness and brain injury.
Measles vaccine
There is no treatment for measles, but there is a vaccine, which is part of routine childhood immunizations in Nova Scotia. The vaccine is free.
The province says people who were born between 1970 and 1995 were offered one dose of measles vaccine as children. Anyone who has not had a second dose is encouraged to get one now.
People born in 1996 or later were offered two doses of measles vaccine. Anyone who missed one or both doses is urged to get fully vaccinated.
The province says there is no risk in getting the vaccine for people who have received it previously.
People can receive vaccinations from their routine vaccine provider, including family doctor, nurse practitioner, primary care pharmacist, public health office and special measles clinics.
For more Nova Scotia news, visit our dedicated provincial page
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
CBC
19 minutes ago
- CBC
Water safety top of mind in Ottawa as drownings mount
Drowning is a silent killer. In just seconds, a child, friend or family member can disappear below the surface of the water. Across Canada, 2,209 people lost their lives in "unintentional water-related deaths" between 2015 and 2019, according to the 2024 National Drowning Report. Ontario's Office of the Chief Coroner told CBC 75 accidental drowning deaths occurred in the province last year, excluding accidents involving motor vehicles, farm equipment, scuba diving or falling through ice. CBC Ottawa has reported 15 water-related deaths so far this year in eastern Ontario and western Quebec, including the death of an Ottawa man who fell into the St. Lawrence River on Saturday. Two more suspected drownings occurred in Prince Edward County over the weekend. Ottawa man dies after falling into the St. Lawrence River Father drowned, child rescued near Westboro Beach On Monday morning, a light blue flag was raised in front of Ottawa city hall to commemorate National Drowning Prevention Week. Organized by the Lifesaving Society, this year's theme is "safer together." While it's too early to say how 2025 will compare to previous years, Ottawa Fire Services (OFS) says its water rescue team has been particularly busy in one spot. Deschênes Rapids a dangerous spot Just downstream from Britannia Beach, the Deschênes Rapids have seen a spike in rescues this summer season, according to OFS spokesperson Nick Defazio. Defazio said there were 15 rescues at the rapids last year. This year, firefighters have already responded to 13 emergencies there, all successful rescues. "What we see a lot of is people leave the beach, they don't realize the rapids are around the corner, and before it's too late they're going through them," he said. Defazio said if you witness someone drifting toward the rapids, call 911 and don't attempt to rescue them yourself. Sean Duffy, a vice-president with the Lifesaving Society, stressed the difference between swimming in a pool and in open water. He said people can overestimate their swimming abilities in lakes and rivers. "They think ... 'I can swim in a pool, I should be able to swim in open water,' but open water is very different than a pool. We've got currents and weather conditions and drop-offs," he said. "It's really important to know the environment that you're going into, and choose a safer option." "A big part of this is being proactive and sending a clear message to the residents of the city of Ottawa that they need to be very, very careful around the waters, especially with their children," said Coun. Steve Desroches, who attended Monday's event as deputy mayor. People are reminded to keep children under close supervision, never swim alone, wear a life-jacket and stick to beaches where lifeguards are on duty. On Friday, World Drowning Prevention Day, the Ottawa sign in the ByWard Market will turn blue as a reminder to everyone. "We just want people to be vigilant," said Duffy. "We know that drowning incidents can happen, but we also know that they're preventable."
CBC
19 minutes ago
- CBC
How sudden cardiac arrest can be different for athletes — based on their sex
Social Sharing When varsity rower Ruth McDonald competes, she's thinking about pushing herself hard and winning the race. The potential of suffering a medical emergency — while always possible — is the last thing on her mind. "Every sport, you have to be comfortable with pain and comfortable with getting uncomfortable," she said. "So something like injury or having cardiac arrest is not something you have on your mind, because you're so focused on working so hard and achieving the best results possible." Sudden cardiac arrests in female athletes are a rising concern for sports medicine experts because doctors say they're realizing how little they know about the heart health of female athletes, and their risk level for the condition. While rare, sudden cardiac arrests are a leading cause of death for young athletes. According to a Canadian study published in March, men are over 10 times more likely to experience a sports-related cardiac arrest than women. But women, when their hearts suddenly stop, are less likely to survive, according to several studies. Reasons unclear Dr. Paul Dorian, who co-authored the Canadian study, says there aren't clear explanations for the disparity between male and female athletes. But he pointed to one problem: Cardiac arrests in male athletes are more likely caused by heart rhythm disturbances, like an arrhythmia, due to a hardening of the arteries. "Think of it as a heart attack in waiting. So those are plumbing problems, which then cause an electric problem," said Dorian, a cardiologist at Toronto's St. Michael's Hospital. In female athletes, by contrast, cardiac arrests are often from a different cause, says Dorian: They're more likely due to heart diseases from heritable causes, or which developed from viruses. Another factor, Dorian says, is that women may not always realize when they are about to have a cardiac arrest. Whereas men are more likely to have the classic symptoms of an emergency, like chest pain or chest tightness, women are more likely to experience symptoms like fatigue, shortness of breath and exhaustion. Another key factor that can affect whether someone survives or dies of a sudden cardiac arrest: how quickly bystanders react, says Dorian. Bystanders tend to step in less frequently to resuscitate a woman, whether through CPR or putting the woman on an automated external defibrillator, also known as an AED. Researchers don't have a lot of data on why. It may be that some bystanders don't recognize the symptoms in women, or they feel reluctant to perform chest compressions, or to remove a woman's shirt and place the defibrillator pads on her chest. Physiological differences There are also differences between male hearts and female hearts — in size, electrical system and blood vessels, says Dr. Paula Harvey, a heart specialist and the head of medicine at Women's College Hospital in Toronto. "We are behind the game, so to speak, when it comes to understanding the biology of women's hearts with respect to the impact of different types of sports and different types of stressors," she said. Some of the key questions she wants answers to: the best ways to screen female athletes for structural heart disease and electrical heart problems that could put them at risk — and the best ways to respond to somebody who has a cardiovascular complication or emergency while on the playing field. Harvey is trying to fill in some of those blanks, researching how age and hormonal changes, like menopause, can affect women's cardiac health. Specifically, Harvey is studying female athletes who have stopped having periods and showing symptoms that resemble menopause, because they're not eating enough calories to balance out all their training — and how the energy imbalance impacts heart health. That can be hard on the cardiovascular system, suggests Harvey's research, which she recently presented at the Female Athlete Conference in Boston. She thinks not enough athletes are aware of the problem, which she says can easily be corrected — and the symptoms reversed — by eating more. "Even just a granola bar to increase that number of calories," she said. Dr. Steven Joseph, chief medical officer of Rowing Canada, also thinks there is much more to be learned about sex differences and risk factors for sudden cardiac arrest. "We're just starting to realize there are significant physiological differences," he said. "A lot of the old studies were based on male athletes and they're not transferable." Joseph is hoping there will be more research that could inform athletes and coaches on how to train safely — and manage risk factors. Because — Harvey, Joseph and Dorian all agree — physical activity has so many benefits for overall health, not just cardiac health. They just want everyone to be able to do it safely.
CTV News
5 hours ago
- CTV News
Reducing infections and stigma: Pop-up HIV testing events coming soon to Regina
WATCH: HIV is a major concern in Saskatchewan, with some of the highest rates in the country. Mick Favel has more on a new testing program.
