Alberta health officials have issued a public warning after a case of measles was confirmed in an individual who visited several public areas in Banff at the end of May.

“We have a lab-confirmed case of measles in an adult male in Calgary zone, actually lives and works in Banff, that was reported to us on the weekend and we are doing our public health followup of anyone that might have been exposed to that individual,” said Dr. Judy MacDonald, Medical Officer of Health, Calgary Zone.

AHS says people who were in the following locations at the specified times may have been exposed:

  • OK Gift Shop - 209 Banff Avenue, Banff, AB 
    Friday May 25, 2018 between 1:45 p.m. and store closing.
    Saturday May 26, 2018 between 1:45 p.m. and store closing.
  • IGA - 318 Marten Street, Banff, AB  
    Wednesday May 30, 2018 between 5 p.m. and 7:15 p.m.

“The concerning thing about this case is there is no history of travel so measles must have come to him in Banff, which is not impossible because we know that measles is doing very well in other parts of the world and so anyone that comes from a measles area to visit could bring measles here,” said Dr. MacDonald. “Well, this individual contracted it somewhere where they’d been. They hadn’t been travelling, they’d just been working, just in Banff so that’s what can happen and that’s why it’s so important, maybe not just focus on that but, to point out to people that measles could be in their family. Just from those exposures, from people travelling and bringing it here.”

Officials say people who visited the affected areas during the time periods stated may be at risk of contracting measles if they were born after 1970 and have not had two doses of measles vaccine.

“That’s the whole point about measles, it does spread very quickly and the best way to protect yourselves is to be immunized and so we’ve got the potential for people to have been exposed and we could be seeing more cases,” MacDonald added.“Measles can be deadly, certainly, especially in young children and older individuals. Sometimes, especially in other countries too, that measles may not result in complete recovery, you may have some lasting complications and unfortunately it does cause death.”

Individuals who believe they may have been affected are being advised to call Health Link at 811 if they develop symptoms, before attending a health facility.

Measles is extremely contagious and symptoms include:

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

“Measles is contagious or can spread from a person that’s got it, from one day before they get those symptoms until four days after a rash has started so it can be over a week or so but, I guess, the scary thing is that you can be infectious even before you have symptoms,” said MacDonald. "Just simply being in the same air space of someone who was infectious with measles at the time they’re there and for two hours afterword. So you don’t even know that you’ve been exposed until, if you’re not immune, until you start to develop symptoms.”

The measles vaccine is free in Alberta.

For more information on measles and immunization, click HERE.