B.C. Canada: Measles outbreak

[Shiloh]

Source: http://www.torontosun.com/news/canada/2010/03/30/13411406.html

Measles outbreak alert for Vancouver
By THE CANADIAN PRESS
Last Updated: March 30, 2010 3:54pm


VANCOUVER — The B.C. Centre for Disease Control is warning the public to be alert after a measles outbreak in Metro Vancouver.

The centre says there have been 10 confirmed and four suspected cases of measles in the Lower Mainland in the past two weeks.

Eight of those cases stem from a single household, while two others are believed to have come from out-of-country visitors in February or early March...

More here:
http://www.theprovince.com/life/Mea...and+sparks+health+advisory/2744274/story.html

 

[Pathfinder]

Re: B.C. Canada: Measles outbreak

Measles outbreak hits unvaccinated in B.C.

Wednesday, March 31st, 2010 | 2:44 pm
<!--p class="author">By CBC News</p-->
Up to 14 Vancouver-area residents have contracted measles in recent weeks, health officials in B.C. are warning, and many of those infected were unvaccinated members of a single household.

The BC Centre for Disease Control asked health-care professionals and the public to be alert for measles on Tuesday after eight of the 14 cases were diagnosed in a single household with unvaccinated members.

None of the cases identified to date had received two doses of the measles vaccine, which is needed for full protection, said officials in statement.

Many were not immunized because of philosophical objections, and others received only a single dose of measles vaccine or did not know their immunization status, said health officials.

Officials suspect at least two strains of the virus were brought to B.C. by travellers and passed on to the unvaccinated residents.
.../

More at:
http://www.kelowna.com/2010/03/31/measles-outbreak-hits-unvaccinated-in-b-c/

 

[Shiloh]

Re: B.C. Canada: Measles outbreak

Source: http://www.globaltvbc.com/Interior+Health+reports+measles+cases/2770541/story.html

Interior Health reports new measles cases
CHBC News, Kelowna: Tuesday, April 6, 2010 4:55 PM

A case of the measles has been diagnosed in Vernon, according to the Interior Health Authority, one of the communities in BC with the lowest immunization rate.

The new case of the vaccine preventable disease was reported in the last 10 days and had overseas exposure.

Cases were also reported over the Easter weekend in Lillooet and Williams Lake, but those had no travel-history outside of their community, which concerns the health authority because of a recent outbreak on the Lower Mainland.

All three cases occurred in individuals who did not receive the full two-dose measles vaccine, two of which are unimmunized adults.

?Measles has not been circulating in BC in the past two years, so this is a newly imported virus that is causing illness in those lacking immunity?, says Dr. Rob Parker, IH Medical Health Officer. ?This is a vaccine-preventable disease and most children routinely receive two doses of the vaccine between their first and second birthdays. That?s why we?re urging parents to review their kids? medical records to ensure they?ve received both measles vaccine shots...?

 

[Shiloh]

Re: B.C. Canada: Measles outbreak

Source: http://www.ctvbc.ctv.ca/servlet/an/...sles_100407/20100407/?hub=BritishColumbiaHome

B.C. measles outbreak expands to 26 cases

By: Andrew Weichel, ctvbc.ca

Date: Wednesday Apr. 7, 2010 10:05 AM PT

The measles outbreak reported in British Columbia last week has expanded to 26 confirmed cases, including three in the interior.

Ritinder Harry, spokeswoman for the B.C. Centre for Disease Control, told ctvbc.ca that of the infected, 14 were unimmunized and 12 have unknown vaccination history.

"It could be that they received one dose and didn't go in for the second, or that they don't remember," she said.

Harry says the risk to the general population is low because most children receive both of the necessary doses of measles vaccine before their second birthday -- but anyone unsure of their immunization history is advised to check with their family physician.

"Check your records," Harry said. "If you are seeing symptoms of measles, call the B.C. helpline at 811 immediately..."

 

[Shiloh]

Re: B.C. Canada: Measles outbreak

Source: http://www.cknw.com/Channels/Reg/NewsLocal/Story.aspx?ID=1215875

People exposed to measles at Children's Hospital
VANCOUVER/CKNW AM 980
Nafeesa Karim | Email news tips to Nafeesa
4/7/2010

Officials at BC Children's Hospital are trying to figure out how over 250 people could have been exposed to measles last week.

A child infected with measles was in isolation on a third-floor ward, but according to the hospital's Vice President of patient care, Barb Fitzsimmons, something went wrong with the air flow...

 

[Shiloh]

Re: B.C. Canada: Measles outbreak

Source: http://www.cbc.ca/canada/british-co.../bc-measles-quarantine-vancouver-schools.html

Measles outbreak sends unvaccinated students home
Length of quarantine unfair, says mother
Last Updated: Tuesday, April 13, 2010 | 10:35 AM PT

Unvaccinated students are being sent home from school because of the growing measles outbreak in Vancouver, and that has at least parent concerned that the policy is unfair.

In recent weeks, eight students in six Vancouver schools have come down with measles, according to Vancouver Coastal Health medical health officer Dr. John Carsley.

When measles is reported in a school, health officials check that all other children and staff have had vaccinations. Those who haven't can be given one if it's detected quickly, said Carsely.

But if they can't get a vaccination in time, unvaccinated children will be sent home for 21 days, he said...

Read more: http://www.cbc.ca/canada/british-co...arantine-vancouver-schools.html#ixzz0l0yovYwZ

 

[Shiloh]

Re: B.C. Canada: Measles outbreak

Source: http://www.kamloopsnews.ca/article/...MLOOPS01/fourth-case-of-measles-occurs-in-iha

Fourth case of measles occurs in IHA

April 15,2010

Someone, somewhere in the Thompson Cariboo Shuswap, is the fourth person within Interior Health to have come down with the measles.

Health officials are not releasing the person?s age, gender or location because of concerns he/she could be identified, said Lannea Parfitt, spokeswoman for public health within IHA.

The number of measles cases within IHA is relatively small compared with the outbreak that?s seen more than 20 cases in the Lower Mainland, she said Wednesday...

 

[Shiloh]

Re: B.C. Canada: Measles outbreak

Source: http://www.energeticcity.ca/fortstjohn/news/04/15/10/measles-case-confirmed-fort-st-john

Measles case confirmed in Fort St. John
Thursday, April 15, 2010
By Christine Rumleskie


Northern Health has just confirmed two cases of measles in Northeast B.C.

Spokesperson Eryn Collins says the disease has been confirmed in a resident of Fort Nelson and one in Fort St. John. She says Northern Health is awaiting more laboratory results on several other cases...

 

[Shiloh]

Re: B.C. Canada: Measles outbreak

Source: http://www.cbc.ca/canada/british-columbia/story/2010/04/16/bc-northern-measles-outbreak-spreads.html

Measles outbreak spreads north in B.C.
Number of cases hits 44 provincewide
Last Updated: Friday, April 16, 2010 | 9:13 AM PT

B.C.'s measles outbreak appears to have spread to northeastern areas of the province, after doctors confirmed two new cases of the disease in the Fort St. John and Fort Nelson areas on Thursday.

The new cases bring the total number of confirmed cases in the province to 44, not including suspected but unconfirmed cases, said the B.C. Centre for Disease Control.

Northern Health spokeswoman Eryn Collins said the virus had not been detected in the north in more than six years and the two new cases involve people who weren't immunized.


Read more: http://www.cbc.ca/canada/british-co...n-measles-outbreak-spreads.html#ixzz0lI1PfG9p

 

[Shiloh]

Re: B.C. Canada: Measles outbreak

Source: http://www.ctvbc.ctv.ca/servlet/an/..._outbreak_100423/20100423?hub=BritishColumbia

B.C. measles outbreak expands to 70 cases

By: Bethany Lindsay, ctvbc.ca

Date: Friday Apr. 23, 2010 3:13 PM PT

A measles outbreak in B.C. has spread across the province, with 70 confirmed cases reported in the last month.

The outbreak began with 10 confirmed and four suspected cases in Metro Vancouver at the end of March -- eight of those cases came from a single household of unvaccinated members.

Ritinder Harry, spokeswoman for the B.C. Centre for Disease Control, told ctvbc.ca that the outbreak is no longer confined, and doctors across the province are reporting new cases.

"It has spread everywhere," she said.

Most of the cases have been in people who have not been immunized against the virus, or didn't get required follow-up shots.

Infections are popping up in people of all ages, Harry added, but "more than half of the cases are in adults."

This year's outbreak is the largest B.C. has seen in years. The last time that the province had more than 10 measles patients was in 2001, when 23 cases were diagnosed...

..."Now it's those people that are unimmunized that are most vulnerable."

She said that some of the new measles patients were never immunized because they -- or their parents -- had "objections" against the vaccine...

 

[Shiloh]

Re: B.C. Canada: Measles outbreak

Source: http://www2.canada.com/surreynow/news/story.html?id=b451a0f4-ef71-4ff3-8fda-6a39b687dc33

Get measles shot, FHA urges
Carolyn Cooke, Surrey Now
Published: Tuesday, May 04, 2010

The measles outbreak is still going strong and health-care providers are reminding people about the need get vaccinated.

The last count from the B.C. Centre for Disease Control showed 71 confirmed cases of measles across B.C., most of whom are children who have not been vaccinated and adults who are only partly immunized...

 

[Shiloh]

Re: B.C. Canada: Measles outbreak

Source: http://www.theprovince.com/health/Rare+measles+outbreak+ends/3011562/story.html

Rare measles outbreak ends


The Province May 11, 2010 12:06 AM

A rare outbreak of measles in B.C. that apparently started in downtown Vancouver during the 2010 Olympics should die out by June, medical officials say.

Dr. Monika Naus of the B.C. Centre of Disease Control said there are now 83 confirmed measles cases reported from regions across the province...

Read more: http://www.theprovince.com/health/Rare+measles+outbreak+ends/3011562/story.html#ixzz0ncjWqAXE