Number of measles cases in N.S. continues to rise

The number of measles cases continues to rise in Nova Scotia.

Nova Scotia Health says there are now 30 cases of measles in its northern zone, with eight of those lab-confirmed and the others considered confirmed based on symptoms and household exposure.

A news release Thursday from the health authority says the new cases are "mainly found in large households and specific, small communities with close contact."

Public Health says it expects the number of cases to rise in the coming weeks.

Health Minister Michelle Thompson says there are some communities that are under-immunized in the province.

"And so when measles enters a population, or enters a province, enters a community with lower immunization rates, we can expect to see more measles cases. This is not unexpected."

Thompson would not specify what community has been affected by the recent outbreak, saying she did not want to cause harm to it.

"What's important is the surveillance system, the early detection worked well," she said. "I have complete confidence in Public Health to be able to contain the outbreak and work with those individuals who require vaccination."

Public Health said the risk to the public is still considered low, as most people are protected from measles by being vaccinated or from previous infection.

In 2024, 93.4 per cent of children had received one dose of a measles vaccine by the end of the year they turned two, and 78.6 per cent had received two doses, which is considered fully vaccinated.

So far in Nova Scotia this year, there have been 31 cases of measles.

Current cases stem from travel in Canada

No new public exposure sites have been identified, and none of the current cases are linked to previous public exposures at the Aberdeen Hospital in New Glasgow or St. Martha's Regional Hospital in Antigonish.

Nova Scotia Health says it is believed that the cases all stem from travel within Canada to regions with known measles cases.

"We would like to thank the communities involved," Dr. Ryan Sommers, Public Health's senior regional medical officer of health, said in the news release. "The communities are being very careful to protect others, and we thank them for their ongoing co-operation with our Public Health teams while we support them and limit further spread."

Sommers said most of the people who have contracted measles in this cluster were previously unvaccinated.

However, the vaccine can be administered to people who were exposed to measles within 72 hours of exposure, and Sommers said some people in this outbreak did choose to get the vaccine after being exposed.

He said most of the people affected have been in their 30s or younger, and no one has been hospitalized.

Symptoms of measles include:

• Fever.
• Cough, runny nose, red eyes.
• Small white spots inside the mouth and throat.
• A red blotchy rash on the face that spreads down the body.

Measles is highly contagious and spreads by direct contact with infected droplets or by air when an infected person breathes, coughs or sneezes.

While most people with measles recover within two to three weeks, some people have serious complications, and infants, people with weakened immune systems and pregnant people are more at risk.