Measles confirmed on Vancouver Island
Anyone with symptoms is asked to contact their health-care provider
Two cases of measles have been identified in the South Island area of Vancouver Island, according to Island Health.
However, it says that the risk of transmission is extremely low.
Island Health says two adults acquired the infection while travelling in Vietnam, even though both have claimed to have received a single measles vaccine.
The health-care provider has identified three dates when the public may have been exposed to the measles in Victoria, as one of the individuals attended Royal Jubilee hospital.
- March 6, 2019, 5 a.m. - 12:30 p.m., Royal Jubilee Hospital, emergency department.
- March 8, 2019 7 a.m. - 10:30 a.m., Royal Jubilee Hospital, outpatient clinic.
- March 9, 2019, 8:36 p.m. - 11:30 p.m., Royal Jubilee Hospital, emergency department.
Chief Medical Health Officer Dr. Richard Stanwick says hospital staff have pulled the records from those three time periods and are directly contacting individuals who may be at risk.
He says this excludes anyone born before 1970 or those whose records show they have already received two doses of the measles vaccine.
"We're really now down to probably a couple of dozen individuals who actually may have been at risk," which, he says speaks to the value of immunization.
"Even though we've had to at least one case attend our emergency department, we do know that the vast majority of the individuals are in a position of not having to be concerned about acquiring the measles," he said.
Still, Island Health says anyone who may have been exposed should monitor for the symptoms of measles.
If symptoms develop, those infected are asked to contact their health-care providers.