A case of the measles has been confirmed on the Coast and health officials are urging parents to make sure their children are immunized.
"Measles is a highly contagious viral infection, more contagious than the flu, and your best protection is immunization," said Vancouver Coastal Health medical officer Dr. Paul Martiquet. "We've noticed that some parents aren't immunizing their children, and at this time we would encourage them to do so."
In the past month, 44 cases of measles have been confirmed in B.C., mostly in the Lower Mainland. Health officials suspect the outbreak started following the Winter Olympics and were brought into the area by out of country visitors.
According to Martiquet, cases of measles are rare because vaccination rates are high. None of the cases identified to date had two doses of measles vaccine, which is needed for full protection. Overall the risk for the general population remains very low, he said.
"In B.C. children routinely receive two doses of the measles, mumps, rubella vaccine (MMR) at 12 and 18 months," said Martiquet. "Adults born before 1957 are considered to have natural immunity to measles. MMR vaccine is recommended and provided free for everyone born in 1957 or later."
Symptoms of measles include fever, cough, runny nose, sore eyes, general aches and pains, nausea, vomiting and diarrhea as well as a red rash. The rash starts on the third or fourth day of illness, initially in the hairline, but spreads rapidly to cover the face, trunk and limbs. The spots look like grains of salt on a red-inflamed background and appear on the inside of the cheek early in the illness. They fade as the rash appears. Complications include pneumonia and rarely, inflammation of the brain. If you have a fever and rash, you are urged to contact your medical clinic before you go to visit and ask them to place you in a private room as soon as possible.Find more information at the ImmunizeBC website at (http://www.immunizebc.ca), your family physician, nurse practitioner, public health nurse, or HealthLink BC (8-1-1) can also help if you have questions.
