Potential measles exposure at University of Alberta hospital

Alberta now has more than 700 confirmed cases of measles.

Alberta Health Services (AHS) is alerting the public of a potential measles exposure in Edmonton.

The health authority said it was notified that a person with a confirmed case of measles from outside of the city travelled to the University of Alberta Hospital on May 28. Individuals who were at the 112 Street entrance, foyer, and/or information desk at the hospital between 7 p.m. and 9:45 p.m. on that day may have been exposed.

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Anyone who was at the locations during the specified times, who was born in or after 1970 and has less than two documented doses of measles-containing vaccine, may be at risk of developing measles, said AHS in a statement issued Thursday morning.

If you think you have been exposed and are not protected against measles, you can receive immunization to reduce the risk of infection within 72 hours.

Babies under one, people with severely weakened immune systems and those who are pregnant may be able to receive immunoglobulin within six days of exposure to prevent infection.

Measles vaccines are offered free of charge through Alberta’s immunization program. The vaccine is highly effective at preventing infection and is recommended in two doses, the first at one year of age and the second at 18 months.

• Person infected with measles went to West Edmonton Mall: AHS

Symptoms of measles include a fever of 38.3 C or higher, cough, runny nose and or/red eyes as well as a rash that appears three to seven days after a fever starts. The rash usually begins behind the ears and on the face, spreading down to the body to the arms and legs. The rash appears red and blotchy on lighter skin colours and can look purple on darker skin colours.

AHS warns that complications of measles can include ear infections, pneumonia, inflammation of the brain, premature delivery and seldom, death.

As of Monday afternoon, there are 31 active cases of measles in Alberta—13 in the south zone and 14 in the north zone. There have been a total of 710 measles cases in Alberta this year, 520 of which were in the south zone.