N.W.T. chief public health officer warns of possible spring break measles spread

The chief public health officer for the Northwest Territories is warning about the presence of measles in Canada and the possibility that the disease could spread to the territory as a result of spring break travel.

British Columbia, Saskatchewan, Ontario and Quebec all have confirmed measles cases, according to a public health advisory issued Thursday by Dr. Kami Kandola's office.

"Canada has recently seen measles cases that are not linked to travel," the advisory read.

"This means that there are signs of community transmission, which is of immediate concern as more people are travelling out of NWT during March break."

Kandola said in an interview that globally, there has been less of an uptake recently of the measles vaccine. Numbers of measles cases have been increasing globally as well.

"I think, after the COVID pandemic and just the whole scenario around the COVID vaccines, people have vaccine fatigue. And that's starting to show in other vaccines that we routinely didn't have issues promoting," she said.

Even before the pandemic, she said there had been more noticeable hesitancy from parents regarding the measles vaccine.

Measles is a highly contagious disease that can hang in the air for up to two hours after an infectious person leaves an area.

People can catch it by breathing air or touching surfaces contaminated with the virus.

They are infectious from the day before they exhibit symptoms until four days after the telltale rash appears.

Symptoms typically appear between 10 and 14 days after exposure.

The first signs and symptoms include:

• Fever
• Dry cough
• Runny nose
• Sore throat
• Inflamed eyes
• A skin rash made up of large, flat blotches, which starts on the face, spreads to the rest of the body and lasts four to seven days.

Most people recover within two to three weeks, but some, particularly babies, pregnant women and people with weakened immune systems, can experience complications such as ear infections, lung infections and brain inflammation – which can lead to deafness, seizures, brain damage or even death.

The best way to protect against measles is to get a measles containing vaccine, the advisory said.

All children 12 months and over, and all adults born in or after 1970, should have two doses of measles containing vaccine given at least four weeks apart.

Kandola's office advised anyone travelling outside the N.W.T. to make sure they are properly immunized.

The advisory urged people who are unsure of their vaccination status, who are travelling with babies under a year old or who are showing symptoms of measles to contact their healthcare provider or call 811. 

It also urged people to stay home if sick.