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The Saskatchewan Health Authority is warning the public about a risk of measles exposure in Saskatoon, Rosetown and Kindersley due to confirmed cases of the virus.
Anyone who was potentially exposed was asked to monitor for measles symptoms for up to 21 days.
Read More:
- Dr. Shahab: 5-month-old patient among rising measles cases
- Confirmed measles case at Rosthern Hospital triggers exposure alert
- Health authority warns of measles exposure risk in Preeceville
In Saskatoon, anyone who was at the Scotiabank on Kensington Boulevard on Saturday between 10 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. or the Walmart on Betts Avenue on the same day from 10:15 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. was asked to monitor themselves for symptoms.
The exposure risk also applies to anyone who was at the Rosetown Hospital on Sunday (8:45 p.m. to midnight), Monday (midnight to 1:30 a.m., and 9:15 a.m. to 11:15 a.m.), Tuesday (3:30 a.m. to midnight) and Wednesday (midnight to 3:20 p.m.).
The health authority also said the exposure risk applies to the Kindersley area, but did not cite specific locations or times. In recent days, similar warnings have also been issued for Preeceville, Rosthern and Regina.
“Measles is highly contagious. It can spread very easily to others through the air,” the health authority explained in a statement.
“The virus can live up to two hours in the air or on surfaces in a space where a person coughed or sneezed. It can spread from four days before a rash appears until four days after a rash develops. Through this period, a person needs to stay in strict isolation to avoid spreading the infection to others.”
The health authority said symptoms of the highly contagious virus include fever, cough, runny nose, red eyes, fatigue, irritability, small white spots – called Koplik spots – inside the mouth and throat, and a red, blotchy rash that develops on the face before spreading down the body three to seven days after symptoms begin. The rash can last four to seven days.
“Anyone potentially exposed may be eligible for preventative treatment for up to six days after exposure. Do not attend a clinic in person if you are symptomatic, but call HealthLine 811 for information and instructions,” the health authority advised.
Anyone who is in medical distress should not wait to seek care, but the health authority asked anyone who may have been exposed to measles to call ahead to inform health-care staff before visiting a hospital or clinic so that proper precautions can be taken to prevent the virus from spreading.
Measles can be prevented by vaccination, and the health authority noted that the vaccine is “safe, effective and free.” With two doses, the vaccine is nearly 100 per cent effective at warding off the virus. For those who don’t know their immunization status, the health authority said records can be found on the MySaskHealthRecord website.
On Thursday, Dr. Saqib Shahab, Saskatchewan’s chief medical health officer, said the number of cases in Saskatchewan have nearly doubled in the past week, and said he expects the number of cases in the province to keep rising unless people get immunized. According to Shahab, one of the measles patients in Saskatchewan is a five-month-old child.
“Many parents who themselves had the privilege of getting vaccinated are choosing not to get their children vaccinated because of all the misinformation and disinformation floating around on social media, and that is really tragic,” Shahab said.
Dr. Saqib Shahab said the best way to protect yourself is by getting the measles vaccine. (Gillian Massie/ 980 CJME)
Shahab said 15 cases have been reported in Saskatchewan since last week, bringing the total to 27. Across Canada, health officials said almost 200 people were infected last week.
He noted that only one of the 27 people who caught the virus in Saskatchewan was vaccinated.
“The power to stop it is up to each of us who make decisions for ourselves to get vaccinated and decisions for our children who are unable to make decisions for themselves,” he said.
–with files from 980 CJME’s Gillian Massie
