Got your measles shot? Health official says it's the best prevention

Saskatchewan's deputy chief medical health officer, Dr. Denise Werker, is reminding people that vaccination against measles is the best way to protect yourself from the highly contagious virus.

As of Tuesday, there have been no reports of measles in Saskatchewan in 2015. Officials noted 16 cases in the province between in the first four months of 2014.

"The best way to prevent measles is to get vaccinated," Werker said Tuesday. "Saskatchewan offers publicly funded vaccine to children and we recommend that ... all persons, before they travel, make sure that their measles vaccination is up to date."

Symptoms of measles, also known as rubella or red measles, include a high fever and a distinctive skin rash.

Werker added that anyone who thinks they might have measles should call ahead before going to the doctor.

"We don't want persons with this very infectious disease to be sitting in emergency rooms or doctors' offices," Werker said. "So they should call ahead to make sure that the doctor or the emergency department is prepared."

• Measles: What you need to know