Measles spreads to Alberta after flight from Vancouver to Edmonton

A case of measles has now been confirmed in Alberta after an infected individual travelled from Vancouver to Edmonton.

The Public Health Agency of Canada advised Alberta Health Services (AHS) that an individual with lab-confirmed measles visited Leduc, Alta. while infectious.

The individual was on Air Canada flight AC233 on Feb. 12.

“Given the timeframe of the potential exposure, post-exposure immunization is not effective. Individuals are encouraged to monitor for symptoms for 21 days after the date of potential exposure, which could be up to March 5, 2019,” advised AHS. “If symptoms of measles do develop, these individuals are advised to stay home and call Health Link at 811, before visiting any health care facility or provider.”

Symptoms of Measles include:

• fever of 38.3° C or higher; and
• cough, runny nose and/or red eyes; and
• a red blotchy rash that appears three to seven days after fever starts, beginning behind the ears and on the face and spreading down to the body and then to the arms and legs.