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CBC
7 hours ago
- Health
- CBC
Measles out of control ahead of September school start, doctors warn
Several Alberta doctors are warning the province could face "a perfect storm" as measles outbreaks balloon and children head back to school in September. During a media availability hosted by the Alberta Medical Association on Tuesday, the physicians appealed to parents to ensure their children are vaccinated immediately. And they called on the Alberta government to expand access to an early vaccine dose for babies and to consider requiring proof of immunization in schools. "There's no doubt that this is an epidemic," said Dr. James Talbot, a former chief medical officer of health for Alberta. "Worse, there can be no doubt that it's still not under control." Talbot worries children will be heading back to school in September after having attended family gatherings, sports tournaments, camps and other events where they may have been exposed to measles. "That represents a perfect storm where our children, grandchildren, nephews and nieces and family members will be at risk, increased risk, of getting measles," said Talbot, who is also an adjunct professor at the University of Alberta's school of public health. As of midday Tuesday Alberta had reported a total of 1,472 measles cases since the outbreaks began in March — and transmission is showing no signs of slowing down. The doctors are pleading with Albertans to ensure their children get vaccinated right away. "The best time to do it is now. Don't wait for the start of the school year. Do it now so they're protected when the school year starts, said Talbot. "That's the most important back-to-school preparation you can do, even more important than buying a back-pack or lunchbox." Edmonton-based pediatrician Dr. Tehseen Ladha is worried that the virus, unchecked, could make some children very sick. "There's this misconception that measles is a routine illness — a routine childhood illness — and it's not," she said. "It's one of the most contagious viruses on earth. And children, pregnant women and immunocompromised people are amongst the groups most vulnerable to it." The measles virus can hang in the air for several hours after an individual leaves a location and it can lead to serious complications, including pneumonia, brain swelling and brain damage, premature delivery and even death. "The risks of getting the illness are much worse and more frequent than getting the vaccine," said Ladha, noting that about 10 per cent of people infected with the virus will end up in hospital. Extra baby dose The doctors are renewing calls for the Alberta government to allow babies as young as six months old, living in all health zones, to have access to an early and extra vaccine dose. The province currently only offers the early shot to babies living in or travelling to the hardest hit south, central and north zones. "Although there are areas in the province with higher rates of measles, people travel within the province. There are no borders," said Ladha. "And we are approaching a school start in which there will be many siblings and playmates bringing measles home to their younger sisters and brothers." Talbot would also like to see the province consider requiring proof of immunization in schools. Ontario, for example, requires that students be vaccinated against a number of illnesses, including measles. "Ontario is better situated for September back to school than Alberta is," he said. If there are outbreaks at schools the physicians warned it may be necessary to send unvaccinated children and staff, who are exposed, home. "You really are meant to be quarantined for 21 days, I believe," said Dr. Lynora Saxinger, an infectious diseases specialist with the University of Alberta. "That is a long time and that is for people who are not sick. That is to try and contain the infection and reduce the successive rings of spread. And that's very disruptive." Measures 'not warranted,' province says As of July 12, 114 Albertans had been hospitalized due to the illness, including 15 intensive care unit admissions. No deaths have been reported. The Alberta government said it is taking the outbreaks seriously and working to limit further spread but that the steps suggested by the physicians are not necessary. "The response is guided by data and the advice of public health experts, including the Chief Medical Officer of Health," said an emailed statement from the Ministry of Primary and Preventive Health Services. "We will continue to adjust our approach as needed based on emerging data and expert advice; however, the measures currently being suggested are not supported by the latest data and are not warranted at this time." The province is pushing back against the idea of offering the early vaccine dose more widely to infants, saying it is an outbreak response in areas where the risk is higher and that the risk in Calgary and Edmonton remains "relatively low." "Offering early doses more broadly — without an identified need — would not be medically appropriate and could divert resources from areas where they are most needed," the spokesperson said. Provincial data shows 17 new cases have been reported in the Calgary zone in the last two weeks, bringing the total to 43 cases. The Edmonton zone, which has seen a slower uptick, has reported 16 cases this year. The government also said it has expanded immunization clinic hours an added clinics in some hard-hit areas. The spokesperson said the province's tactics, which also include targeted outreach, have worked, and vaccination rates have increased. "Messaging targeted to parents and guardians of school-aged children ahead of the school year is also being explored," the statement added, noting parents and guardians received a letter from the Chief Medical Officer of Health in June, outlining the risks and importance of immunization. The province also insists the measles outbreaks don't constitute an "epidemic" or "province-wide outbreak," because the vast majority of cases are outside of Calgary and Edmonton.
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.
