Latest news with #DrSamWong
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Health
- Yahoo
Alberta's measles outbreaks surpass case counts reported for entire U.S.
Alberta has now confirmed more measles cases than the entire United States has reported this year. The province has been battling outbreaks since March and as of noon Monday, total case counts in the province had ballooned to 1,314. The latest update from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows that country has amassed 1,288 cases this year. "Looking at the numbers it saddens me," said Dr. Sam Wong, the president of the section of pediatrics with the Alberta Medical Association. "I think if we had gotten to it sooner — and taken it more seriously sooner — then maybe we would not have reached this milestone where one province actually exceeds the entire case count for the United States, which has got 10 times the population as Canada." Thirty new cases were reported between midday Friday and noon Monday. "It's absolutely terrible," said Dr. Lynora Saxinger, an infectious diseases specialist with the University of Alberta. "It is really a massive scale of spread that's going on right now." It is widely believed by experts and health officials that Alberta's case counts are higher than the confirmed numbers reflect. A standing exposure advisory remains in effect for the entire south zone and parts of the north due to widespread transmission. And the Alberta government's measles website says cases are likely going unreported and undetected. Saxinger worries about the impact of large summer gatherings such as the Calgary Stampede, which just ended on Sunday. "I don't think we've seen a suggestion of things levelling off and now there's large meetings of people and after that school will be back in. So I think there's still a period of serious vulnerability to increasing numbers for a while," said Saxinger. "As an infectious diseases specialist I never would have guessed this was going to happen because measles is supposed to be eradicated." The south, north and central health zones have been the hardest hit by outbreaks. According to provincial data, there had been 102 hospitalizations, including 15 ICU admissions, as of July 5. No deaths have been reported. The latest national statistics show 58 per cent of the new cases reported during the week of June 22 to June 28 were in Alberta. "We know that per capita we have more measles cases in Alberta than really anywhere else in North America," said Craig Jenne, a professor in the department of microbiology, immunology and infectious diseases at the University of Calgary. "We have heard stories that there may be underreporting in the U.S. but even the fact that we're close to those numbers is quite concerning given we have almost a hundredth the population." The latest case breakdown shows there have been a total of 774 cases in the south zone, 35 in Calgary zone, 107 in central zone, 13 in the Edmonton zone and 385 in the north. "Perhaps the more concerning aspect, at least for me, is not the total number of cases, it's how quickly we've gotten here," said Jenne, who is also the deputy director of the Snyder Institute for Chronic Diseases. Alberta's measles outbreaks have snowballed more quickly than Ontario's, which started in October, according to Jenne. That province, which has three times the population of Alberta, had confirmed 1,934 as of July 8, with another 310 probable cases. "It is growing much more rapidly here…[The] rate of transmission is very concerning." Measles is highly contagious and can lead to serious complications, including pneumonia, brain inflammation, premature delivery and even death. Young children, pregnant individuals and those with weakened immune systems are at highest risk. "I'm really afraid that we're going to see terrible outcomes in babies and kids under five because that's the most vulnerable group across the board," said Saxinger. She's calling on the provincial government to take key steps to rein in the outbreaks, including setting up mass vaccination clinics and campaigns. "I think there can be a lot of unintended barriers for people who even want to get their vaccines updated…It can be really hard to book actually getting it," she said. Saxinger also wants the province to target school-aged children for vaccination before they head back to school in the fall. And, like other physicians, Saxinger is calling on the province to offer an early and extra vaccine dose to babies as young as six months old in all regions. The extra shot is only being offered in the south, central and north zones. CBC News asked the government for a response but did not immediately hear back. Pregnant Albertans, who are at high risk as well, need to know they should seek help if they've potentially been exposed, according to Saxinger, and vaccine messaging in general needs to be improved. "I think it really has to be a big priority for elected officials to remind people, because not everyone watches the news [and] not everyone gets the same information." The Alberta government is defending its measles response, saying it's working to limit further spread and support those impacted. "Expanded vaccination clinics, targeted outreach, and clear public health guidance are already in place and showing positive results," an emailed statement from the Ministry of Primary and Preventative Health Services read in part. Measles clinics hours and locations have been expanded in higher risk areas, according to the spokesperson, particularly in southern Alberta. "Comparisons to the United States can be misleading, as most U.S. cases this year are concentrated in a single state —Texas ... Measles is increasing at different times in various regions as it's introduced by travellers, as seen in both Texas and Ontario." The CDC website shows most states are reporting some measles cases. Texas has reported 753 cases since late January. "As of now, there are two [Alberta] patients in hospital, and at no point have more than three or four patients been hospitalized at once," the Alberta government spokesperson said. "There are currently 13 active cases across the province, and that number has remained stable for several weeks. Three of the five health zones have not seen any significant recent increase in cases. Weekly case numbers have now declined for four consecutive weeks and are roughly half of what they were at the recent peak." The Alberta government's own website explains the "active" case count is an estimate and does not reflect the risk level because it doesn't account for those who are undiagnosed or who have been exposed. The Alberta government has also extended its Don't Get Measles, Get Immunized ad campaign into mid-August and public health teams are calling parents of young babies in the hardest hit zones to let them know their infants are eligible for an early vaccine dose. The ministry said its efforts are working and between mid-March and early June, the number of vaccine doses administered across Alberta increased by 57 per cent.
CBC
6 days ago
- Health
- CBC
Alberta's measles outbreaks surpass case counts reported for entire U.S.
Social Sharing Alberta has now confirmed more measles cases than the entire United States has reported this year. The province has been battling outbreaks since March and as of noon Monday, total case counts in the province had ballooned to 1,314. The latest update from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows that country has amassed 1,288 cases this year. "Looking at the numbers it saddens me," said Dr. Sam Wong, the president of the section of pediatrics with the Alberta Medical Association. "I think if we had gotten to it sooner — and taken it more seriously sooner — then maybe we would not have reached this milestone where one province actually exceeds the entire case count for the United States, which has got 10 times the population as Canada." Thirty new cases were reported between midday Friday and noon Monday. "It's absolutely terrible," said Dr. Lynora Saxinger, an infectious diseases specialist with the University of Alberta. "It is really a massive scale of spread that's going on right now." It is widely believed by experts and health officials that Alberta's case counts are higher than the confirmed numbers reflect. A standing exposure advisory remains in effect for the entire south zone and parts of the north due to widespread transmission. And the Alberta government's measles website says cases are likely going unreported and undetected. Saxinger worries about the impact of large summer gatherings such as the Calgary Stampede, which just ended on Sunday. "I don't think we've seen a suggestion of things levelling off and now there's large meetings of people and after that school will be back in. So I think there's still a period of serious vulnerability to increasing numbers for a while," said Saxinger. "As an infectious diseases specialist I never would have guessed this was going to happen because measles is supposed to be eradicated." The south, north and central health zones have been the hardest hit by outbreaks. According to provincial data, there had been 102 hospitalizations, including 15 ICU admissions, as of July 5. No deaths have been reported. The latest national statistics shows 58 per cent of the new cases reported during the week of June 22 to June 28 were in Alberta. "We know that per capita we have more measles cases in Alberta than really anywhere else in North America," said Craig Jenne, a professor in the department of microbiology, immunology and infectious diseases at the University of Calgary. "We have heard stories that there may be underreporting in the U.S. but even the fact that we're close to those numbers is quite concerning given we have almost a hundredth the population." Transmission rate The latest case breakdown shows there have been a total of 774 cases in the south zone, 35 in Calgary zone, 107 in central zone, 13 in the Edmonton zone and 385 in the north. "Perhaps the more concerning aspect, at least for me, is not the total number of cases, it's how quickly we've gotten here," said Jenne, who is also the deputy director of the Snyder Institute for Chronic Diseases. Alberta's measles outbreaks have snowballed more quickly than Ontario's, which started in October, according to Jenne. That province, which has three times the population of Alberta, had confirmed 1,934 as of July 8, with another 310 probable cases. "It is growing much more rapidly here…[The] rate of transmission is very concerning." Mass immunization clinics Measles is highly contagious and can lead to serious complications, including pneumonia, brain inflammation, premature delivery and even death. Young children, pregnant individuals and those with weakened immune systems are at highest risk. "I'm really afraid that we're going to see terrible outcomes in babies and kids under five because that's the most vulnerable group across the board," said Saxinger. She's calling on the provincial government to take key steps to rein in the outbreaks, including setting up mass vaccination clinics and campaigns. "I think there can be a lot of unintended barriers for people who even want to get their vaccines updated…It can be really hard to book actually getting it," she said. Saxinger also wants the province to target school-aged children for vaccination before they head back to school in the fall. And, like other physicians, Saxinger is calling on the province to offer an early and extra vaccine dose to babies as young as six months old in all regions. The extra shot is only being offered in the south, central and north zones. CBC News asked the government for a response but did not immediately hear back. Pregnant Albertans, who are at high risk as well, need to know they should seek help if they've potentially been exposed, according to Saxinger, and vaccine messaging in general needs to be improved.
CBC
6 days ago
- Health
- CBC
Alberta's measles outbreaks top case counts reported for entire U.S.
Social Sharing Alberta has now confirmed more measles cases than the entire United States has reported this year. The province has been battling outbreaks since March and as of noon Monday, total case counts in the province had ballooned to 1,314. The latest update from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows that country has amassed 1,288 cases this year. "Looking at the numbers it saddens me," said Dr. Sam Wong, the president of the section of pediatrics with the Alberta Medical Association. "I think if we had gotten to it sooner — and taken it more seriously sooner — then maybe we would not have reached this milestone where one province actually exceeds the entire case count for the United States, which has got 10 times the population as Canada." Thirty new cases were reported between midday Friday and noon Monday. "It's absolutely terrible," said Dr. Lynora Saxinger, an infectious diseases specialist with the University of Alberta. "It is really a massive scale of spread that's going on right now." It is widely believed by experts and health officials that Alberta's case counts are higher than the confirmed numbers reflect. A standing exposure advisory remains in effect for the entire south zone and parts of the north due to widespread transmission. And the Alberta government's measles website says cases are likely going unreported and undetected. Saxinger worries about the impact of large summer gatherings such as the Calgary Stampede, which just ended on Sunday. "I don't think we've seen a suggestion of things levelling off and now there's large meetings of people and after that school will be back in. So I think there's still a period of serious vulnerability to increasing numbers for a while," said Saxinger. "As an infectious diseases specialist I never would have guessed this was going to happen because measles is supposed to be eradicated." The south, north and central health zones have been the hardest hit by outbreaks. According to provincial data, there had been 102 hospitalizations, including 15 ICU admissions, as of July 5. No deaths have been reported. The latest national statistics shows 58 per cent of the new cases reported during the week of June 22 to June 28 were in Alberta. "We know that per capita we have more measles cases in Alberta than really anywhere else in North America," said Craig Jenne, a professor in the department of microbiology, immunology and infectious diseases at the University of Calgary. "We have heard stories that there may be underreporting in the U.S. but even the fact that we're close to those numbers is quite concerning given we have almost a hundredth the population." Transmission rate The latest case breakdown shows there have been a total of 774 cases in the south zone, 35 in Calgary zone, 107 in central zone, 13 in the Edmonton zone and 385 in the north. "Perhaps the more concerning aspect, at least for me, is not the total number of cases, it's how quickly we've gotten here," said Jenne, who is also the deputy director of the Snyder Institute for Chronic Diseases. Alberta's measles outbreaks have snowballed more quickly than Ontario's, which started in October, according to Jenne. That province, which has three times the population of Alberta, had confirmed 1,934 as of July 8, with another 310 probable cases. "It is growing much more rapidly here…[The] rate of transmission is very concerning." Mass immunization clinics Measles is highly contagious and can lead to serious complications, including pneumonia, brain inflammation, premature delivery and even death. Young children, pregnant individuals and those with weakened immune systems are at highest risk. "I'm really afraid that we're going to see terrible outcomes in babies and kids under five because that's the most vulnerable group across the board," said Saxinger. She's calling on the provincial government to take key steps to rein in the outbreaks, including setting up mass vaccination clinics and campaigns. "I think there can be a lot of unintended barriers for people who even want to get their vaccines updated…It can be really hard to book actually getting it," she said. Saxinger also wants the province to target school-aged children for vaccination before they head back to school in the fall. And, like other physicians, Saxinger is calling on the province to offer an early and extra vaccine dose to babies as young as six months old in all regions. The extra shot is only being offered in the south, central and north zones. CBC News asked the government for a response but did not immediately hear back. Pregnant Albertans, who are at high risk as well, need to know they should seek help if they've potentially been exposed, according to Saxinger, and vaccine messaging in general needs to be improved.
Yahoo
04-07-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Keep babies, high risk Albertans away from Stampede due to measles, doctors caution
As the Calgary Stampede kicks off, health experts are warning about the risk of measles exposure and are urging parents with babies and unimmunized children — along with other vulnerable Albertans — to sit this one out. The Stampede attracts travellers from all over Alberta and around the world. This year organizers expect more than 1.3 million people will attend. This annual event comes at a time when the province is battling its worst measles outbreaks in nearly half a century. As of noon Thursday, 1,179 cases had been reported since the outbreaks began in March. "That's a lot of people over 10 days in a concentrated area and that's where the risk factor is," said Dr. Sam Wong, president of the section of pediatrics with the Alberta Medical Association. "If I had an infant child I would be avoiding Stampede and any large gathering like that because I would want to protect my child as much as possible." Measles can lead to a number of severe complications including pneumonia, brain inflammation, premature delivery and even death. Young children, pregnant people and people who are immunocompromised are at higher risk of severe complications. And until babies are old enough to be vaccinated, they're extremely vulnerable. "I grew up in Calgary. I'm a big fan of the Stampede," said Wong. "But there are risks associated with it this year." A premature baby who was born infected with measles recently died in Ontario. A young child in that province also died due to measles last year. Alberta's routine childhood immunization schedule recommends babies get their first measles vaccine dose at 12 months old and their second shot at 18 months. Due to the outbreaks the province is offering an early and extra dose to babies as young as six months old living in the south, central and north zones. The University of Calgary's Craig Jenne is also worried about adults and children who are unvaccinated or have just one dose. The vast majority of Alberta's measles cases have been among the unimmunized. "We do know, simply statistically, that measles will be present on the Stampede grounds," said Jenne, a professor in the department of microbiology, immunology and infectious diseases at the university. People travelling to Calgary from parts of the province with outbreaks, including the hardest hit south, north and central zones, could bring the virus with them, he said. "We are still seeing daily exposures in multiple health zones in the province. So measles is still freely transmitting." Measles is a highly contagious airborne illness and it can spread both indoors and outdoors, Jenne said. "When we think of the crowds at Stampede, people are very close together and the measles virus is very infectious. So we do know that this is the kind of environment where… a virus like measles can very easily spread." The measles virus can hang in the air for up to two hours after a person has left a space. And people can spread the disease before they have symptoms. "If somebody with measles goes into an indoor space and walks into a building or pavilion and then leaves, the virus could be in the air for hours after that person was in there, so potentially exposing people who come in even much later in the day, to the virus," said Jenne. "If you are unvaccinated and in a risk group these large gatherings may pose an exposure risk which we really need people to avoid." Other gatherings, such as Edmonton's K-Days, scheduled for later in July, are also a concern because they too draw large crowds, he said. Dr. Karina Top, a pediatric infectious disease physician at the Stollery Children's Hospital in Edmonton, is also urging high risk Albertans and people with vulnerable infants to stay away from large gatherings. "I'm quite worried about the potential for spread of measles at these types of events," she said. "If the risk wasn't high, I wouldn't be suggesting people stay home. But it is. And I really don't want anyone to get severely ill from going out to enjoy Stampede." She's also concerned Stampede could trigger more outbreaks in the province, including in Calgary, which has so far experienced low case numbers. Since the outbreaks began in March, 24 measles cases have been reported in the Calgary zone and there have been 10 in the Edmonton zone. The province said it continues to encourage all Albertans to check their immunization records and ensure they and their children are up to date. "We acknowledge that large events such as the Calgary Stampede could potentially increase the risk of exposure to respiratory viruses, including measles, and we will continue to monitor the situation closely," an official with Primary and Preventative Health Services said in a statement emailed to CBC News. "We continue to recommend that anyone attending large gatherings — such as the Stampede — ensure their immunizations are up to date, practice good hand hygiene, and stay home if feeling unwell." Being aware of the risks is key, according to the health official. "Individuals who cannot be immunized and are at higher risk of severe measles complications — such as pregnant people, children under the age of five, and those who are immunocompromised — should be aware that large gatherings may increase the risk of exposure," the statement said. "It's important that these individuals carefully consider the potential risks and make informed decisions about attending based on their personal circumstances and comfort with the level of risk." The province's measles awareness campaign, "Don't Get Measles, Get Immunized," has been extended into early August, the spokesperson said, adding case counts and exposure notifications are updated regularly on Alberta's measles webpage . In addition, the province pointed to a Measles and Community Events guidance document for organizations, staff, volunteers and attendees. CBC News asked if signs would be posted on Stampede grounds warning about Alberta's measles outbreaks. Stampede officials did not answer that question, and the province said no additional advice had been provided on posting signs. "We encourage guests to follow the guidance of public health authorities," a spokesperson for the Calgary Stampede said in an email. "If you are feeling unwell, we kindly ask that you stay home." For her part, Top is calling for strong messaging about the risks. "And to provide guidance for people on how to protect themselves because I think there's real potential for this to take off like wildfire," she said. Meanwhile, Jenne will be watching for cases during Stampede and in the weeks following. Reining in the virus will prove extremely difficult for public health teams, he warns, once exposures occur. "Where there could be more than 100,000 people a day on the grounds, contact tracing becomes impossible," he said. "And trying to get ahead and put exposure alerts out becomes, again, impossible in scenarios such as these large gatherings."
CBC
04-07-2025
- Health
- CBC
Keep babies, high risk Albertans away from Stampede due to measles, doctors caution
Social Sharing As the Calgary Stampede kicks off, health experts are warning about the risk of measles exposure and are urging parents with babies and unimmunized children — along with other vulnerable Albertans — to sit this one out. The Stampede attracts travellers from all over Alberta and around the world. This year organizers expect more than 1.3 million people will attend. This annual event comes at a time when the province is battling its worst measles outbreaks in nearly half a century. As of noon Thursday, 1,179 cases had been reported since the outbreaks began in March. "That's a lot of people over 10 days in a concentrated area and that's where the risk factor is," said Dr. Sam Wong, president of the section of pediatrics with the Alberta Medical Association. "If I had an infant child I would be avoiding Stampede and any large gathering like that because I would want to protect my child as much as possible." Measles can lead to a number of severe complications including pneumonia, brain inflammation, premature delivery and even death. Young children, pregnant people and people who are immunocompromised are at higher risk of severe complications. And until babies are old enough to be vaccinated, they're extremely vulnerable. "I grew up in Calgary. I'm a big fan of the Stampede," said Wong. "But there are risks associated with it this year." A premature baby who was born infected with measles recently died in Ontario. A young child in that province also died due to measles last year. Alberta's routine childhood immunization schedule recommends babies get their first measles vaccine dose at 12 months old and their second shot at 18 months. Due to the outbreaks the province is offering an early and extra dose to babies as young as six months old living in the south, central and north zones. The University of Calgary's Craig Jenne is also worried about adults and children who are unvaccinated or have just one dose. The vast majority of Alberta's measles cases have been among the unimmunized. "We do know, simply statistically, that measles will be present on the Stampede grounds," said Jenne, a professor in the department of microbiology, immunology and infectious diseases at the university. People travelling to Calgary from parts of the province with outbreaks, including the hardest hit south, north and central zones, could bring the virus with them, he said. "We are still seeing daily exposures in multiple health zones in the province. So measles is still freely transmitting." Measles highly transmissible Measles is a highly contagious airborne illness and it can spread both indoors and outdoors, Jenne said. "When we think of the crowds at Stampede, people are very close together and the measles virus is very infectious. So we do know that this is the kind of environment where… a virus like measles can very easily spread." The measles virus can hang in the air for up to two hours after a person has left a space. And people can spread the disease before they have symptoms. "If somebody with measles goes into an indoor space and walks into a building or pavilion and then leaves, the virus could be in the air for hours after that person was in there, so potentially exposing people who come in even much later in the day, to the virus," said Jenne. "If you are unvaccinated and in a risk group these large gatherings may pose an exposure risk which we really need people to avoid." Other gatherings, such as Edmonton's K-Days, scheduled for later in July, are also a concern because they too draw large crowds, he said. Dr. Karina Top, a pediatric infectious disease physician at the Stollery Children's Hospital in Edmonton, is also urging high risk Albertans and people with vulnerable infants to stay away from large gatherings. "I'm quite worried about the potential for spread of measles at these types of events," she said. "If the risk wasn't high, I wouldn't be suggesting people stay home. But it is. And I really don't want anyone to get severely ill from going out to enjoy Stampede." She's also concerned Stampede could trigger more outbreaks in the province, including in Calgary, which has so far experienced low case numbers. Since the outbreaks began in March, 24 measles cases have been reported in the Calgary zone and there have been 10 in the Edmonton zone. Health officials acknowledge risk The province said it continues to encourage all Albertans to check their immunization records and ensure they and their children are up to date. "We acknowledge that large events such as the Calgary Stampede could potentially increase the risk of exposure to respiratory viruses, including measles, and we will continue to monitor the situation closely," an official with Primary and Preventative Health Services said in a statement emailed to CBC News. "We continue to recommend that anyone attending large gatherings — such as the Stampede — ensure their immunizations are up to date, practice good hand hygiene, and stay home if feeling unwell." Being aware of the risks is key, according to the health official. "Individuals who cannot be immunized and are at higher risk of severe measles complications — such as pregnant people, children under the age of five, and those who are immunocompromised — should be aware that large gatherings may increase the risk of exposure," the statement said. "It's important that these individuals carefully consider the potential risks and make informed decisions about attending based on their personal circumstances and comfort with the level of risk." The province's measles awareness campaign, "Don't Get Measles, Get Immunized," has been extended into early August, the spokesperson said, adding case counts and exposure notifications are updated regularly on Alberta's measles webpage. In addition, the province pointed to a Measles and Community Events guidance document for organizations, staff, volunteers and attendees. CBC News asked if signs would be posted on Stampede grounds warning about Alberta's measles outbreaks. Stampede officials did not answer that question, and the province said no additional advice had been provided on posting signs. "We encourage guests to follow the guidance of public health authorities," a spokesperson for the Calgary Stampede said in an email. "If you are feeling unwell, we kindly ask that you stay home." For her part, Top is calling for strong messaging about the risks. "And to provide guidance for people on how to protect themselves because I think there's real potential for this to take off like wildfire," she said. Meanwhile, Jenne will be watching for cases during Stampede and in the weeks following. Reining in the virus will prove extremely difficult for public health teams, he warns, once exposures occur. "Where there could be more than 100,000 people a day on the grounds, contact tracing becomes impossible," he said.
