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Update: AHS adds locations visited by Edmonton area's first measles patient of 2019

Alberta Health Services said a person with a lab-confirmed case of measles had been in public in Sherwood Park, Nisku and Edmonton while infectious.

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Health officials are warning the public after confirming the year’s first case of measles in the Edmonton area, and issuing a list of times and places where other people may have been exposed.

On Monday, Alberta Health Services said an adult with a lab-confirmed case of measles had been out in public in Sherwood Park, Nisku and Edmonton while infectious.

The health authority released a list of times and locations, many in Sherwood Park, where potential exposures occurred between May 9 and 17.

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Dr. Chris Sikora, medical officer of health with AHS, said he could not discuss specifics about the case for patient confidentiality reasons.

“What I can state about this particular individual is that they likely contracted measles (through) travel abroad or travel outside the North American environment, and returned and then became ill shortly after,” he said.   

Measles is an extremely contagious disease that spreads through the air. While there is no treatment, it can be prevented through immunization. Sikora said an infectious person can spread the disease simply by coughing.

It causes a “constellation” of symptoms and can sometimes be fatal, he added.

Measles cases have been on the upswing in Alberta and other parts of North America. Alberta had eight cases in 2018 and has had three so far in 2019.

The case announced Monday is the first 2019 case in the Edmonton area.

“Across North America, there have been hundreds of cases,” Sikora said.

AHS initially warned of potential exposures on six days, alerting the public to two new locations on May 22 that the person visited on May 9 and 10. Those locations included:

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  • May 9 between 3 p.m. and 5:45 p.m. at Sherwood Park Mall and Smilie’s Village restaurant in Sherwood Park from 4 to 9 p.m.
  • May 10, between 3 p.m. and 5:45 p.m. at Sherwood Park Mall and Oscar’s Pub in Sherwood Park from 4:30 to 10 p.m.
  • May 11 at Sherwood Park Mall between 2 p.m. and 4:30 p.m., as well as Smilie’s Village restaurant in Sherwood Park between 6 and 10 p.m.
  • May 15 at Shoppers Drug Mart, 2020 Sherwood Drive, between 9 p.m. and 11:30 p.m.
  • May 16 between 4 p.m. and 6 p.m. at Carmack’s Construction in Nisku, as well as the Strathcona Community Hospital between 8 p.m. May 16 and 5:30 p.m. May 17.
  • May 17 at the University of Alberta Hospital emergency department between 4 p.m. and 8 p.m.

AHS said people who were potentially exposed between May 9-17 are no longer eligible for the preventative vaccine as it would no longer be effective post-exposure. However, they were still encouraged to review their immunization history and arrange vaccination if they have yet to receive two doses of the measles, mumps and rubella vaccine.

AHS added that anyone born after 1970 who has not already had measles, has not received two doses of the vaccine and who may have been exposed is at risk of developing the disease and should monitor for symptoms over the next three weeks.

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People who are pregnant, under one year of age, or have a weakened immune system were encouraged to contact Health Link as they may be eligible for medication to prevent measles.

Measles symptoms include a fever 38.3 C or higher accompanied by a cough, runny nose and/or red eyes and a red, blotchy rash that appears three to seven days after fever develops. The rash begins to appear behind the ears and on the face before spreading down the body, ending on the arms and legs. Anyone showing those symptoms should stay home and call Health Link at 811 before visiting any health-care facility.

Measles patients sometimes experience seizures and can suffer brain damage, Sikora said.

“It is a vaccine-preventable disease, it’s easily prevented by two doses of measles-containing vaccine in early childhood,” he said. “It confers lifelong immunity, greater than 99 per cent protection after two doses.”

“It’s easy, it’s safe, it’s very effective,” he said.

Children usually receive their first dose of the measles vaccine when they turn one, with a second dose administered between the ages of four and six.

jwakefield@postmedia.com

twitter.com/jonnywakefield

Editor’s note: This story has been updated to reflect corrected information from AHS regarding the person’s location on May 16.

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