Alberta ramps up measles vaccination push as 3 children in intensive care

EDMONTON — Alberta’s government says three children are in intensive care in hospital after contracting measles.

A health ministry spokesperson declined to disclose their ages, citing privacy concerns.

At a news conference Monday, Dr. Sunil Sookram, Alberta’s interim chief medical officer of health, said there have been no deaths.

Sookram said the risk of getting the highly contagious disease in Alberta is at its greatest point in almost 30 years.

He was appointed to the role last month after the province’s former top public health official declined to stay on when his contract ended.

“Up until now we thought the disease had been eradicated, but things have changed,” said Sookram.

“Measles is now circulating in several areas in our province, and it’s quite concerning.”

Alberta reported 55 new cases Monday, bringing the provincial total to 265 since the beginning of March.

The majority of confirmed cases are in children, with 77 of those under five.

Alberta Health Services also issued an alert warning that an individual who was contagious recently attended the south Edmonton Cineplex Odeon movie theatre.

The health authority said anyone who attended the theatre on April 26 between 8:30 p.m. and 1 a.m. and who hasn’t received two doses of the measles vaccine is at risk.

Health Minister Adriana LaGrange announced that the government will be launching a vaccination campaign featuring advertising in a variety of formats and languages, as well as a measles hotline.

“The campaign is simple: ‘Don’t get measles. Get immunized,'” she said, adding that the government is also looking to provide daycares with information for parents.

LaGrange said the government’s existing social media advertising campaign encouraging Albertans to check their vaccination status has been a success, but “we realize we need to do more.”

“Our hope is that this awareness campaign increases immunization rates and makes sure that Albertans have the access to information that they require as well,” LaGrange said.

“Getting immunized against measles is the single most important thing you can do to protect your loved ones and yourself and your community.”

LaGrange said close to 90 per cent of the confirmed cases this year involve people who weren’t vaccinated.

The government’s vaccine push is also to include expanded clinic hours in Alberta’s central and south zones, which Sookram said have seen almost 80 per cent of the cases, including all but four of the new ones reported Monday.

Dr. Ifeoma Achebe, the central zone’s medical officer of health, said measles vaccination rates need to reach 95 per cent to prevent a more widespread outbreak.

Vaccination rates in communities in her area range from 72 per cent to 90 per cent, she said.

Opposition NDP health critic Sarah Hoffman said the United Conservative Party government’s campaign is too little, too late.

“People are getting sick because the government hasn’t taken vaccines seriously and they haven’t done their job on public health,” Hoffman told reporters.

She also said a government campaign should have been launched shortly after cases were reported elsewhere, such as Ontario, which has been experiencing an outbreak since October.

LaGrange said the government has responded to the situation as needed over the past two months.

“It’s just as more is needed, more has to be done,” she said.

Measles symptoms include fever, coughing, a runny nose, red eyes and a blotchy, red rash that appears three to seven days after the fever starts.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 5, 2025.

Jack Farrell, The Canadian Press