Patients who recently visited two Calgary hospitals are being advised to monitor for possible measles symptoms. Alberta Health says a patient with a confirmed case of the illness visited the Foothills Medical Centre’s emergency room on May 21 and the Alberta Children’s Hospital on May 21 and May 22. The possible exposure times are as follows: “Anyone who attended these locations at any of these times, who was born in or after 1970 and has fewer than two documented doses of measles-containing vaccine or has never had measles disease, may be at risk for developing measles and may be asked to take additional precautions if presenting to a health-care facility,” the province said in a news release. Officials say anyone who was at either hospital should monitor their health for any symptoms of measles, including a high fever, cough, runny nose, red eyes and a rash that appears shortly after a fever. “If symptoms of measles do develop, individuals are advised to stay home and call the measles hotline at 1-844-944-3434 before visiting any healthcare facility or provider, including a family physician clinic or pharmacy,” Alberta Health said. The best protection against measles is getting vaccinated. For information on how to acquire the measles vaccine, visit Primary Care Alberta’s website.
