Alberta Health Services is cautioning the public about potential
measles
exposures in both the Northern and Southern Health Regions.
The agency said it was notified of people with confirmed cases of the virus who had been in a public setting while infectious in Taber, Whitecourt and Grimshaw.
The province is facing a significant viral outbreak, with at least 326 cases recorded since March.
Up until now, there haven’t been any fatalities due to measles in Alberta. However, health professionals caution that out of every 1,000 instances, approximately one to three individuals could potentially succumb to the disease.
In Taber, the possible exposure occurred at the No Frills located on Barton Drive on May 3rd, between 12 p.m. and 6 p.m.
In Whitecourt, an possible exposure occurred from 3:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. on May 2nd at the Wildrose Carnival, and from midday to 2:45 p.m. at the IGA located on 51st Street.
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The AHS reports that there may have been an exposure risk in Grimshaw from 9 a.m. to 11:45 a.m. on May 6th at the Grimshaw Chiropractic Care Centre.
Individuals who were present at these locations during the specified times should watch out for signs of measles and verify their immunization records.
Any individual born prior to 1970 or those with less than two verified doses of the measles vaccination may be susceptible.
Symptoms of measles consist of a high temperature of at least 38.3°C, accompanied by a cough, runny nose, and/or reddened eyes. A rash typically emerges between three to seven days following the onset of fever, often starting from behind the ears and around the face before gradually extending downward towards the torso and eventually reaching the limbs.
