CALGARY -- Customers and staff of a Calgary Real Canadian Superstore and passengers on a flight from London, England to the Alberta city are being warned they may have been exposed to measles.
Alberta Health Services says it's learned of a confirmed case of the disease in an unimmunized girl who has a history of travel to India.
Dr. Judy MacDonald, medical officer of health for the department's Calgary zone, says they don't know for sure that the child was exposed during travel from India back to Calgary on Jan. 9 or 10.
MacDonald says the girl's parents have indicated the Real Canadian Superstore at 10505 Southport Road S.W. was the only public location the girl was in while infectious.
The doctor says the girl would not have been infectious on the plane, but she may have contracted the disease on the aircraft -- British Airways flight 103 on Jan. 10.
AHS says anyone who may have been exposed to measles is advised to monitor themselves for symptoms.
"We've shared the information about the flight with the public health agency of Canada and it would be up to them to decide if there needs to be further notification or followup with the passengers," said MacDonald.
The last confirmed case of measles in Calgary occurred in April 2017.
"Measles is a very infectious disease but it's easy to protect yourself and others against it," said MacDonald. "The most important thing is to get vaccinated, and we recommend two doses of measles mumps rubella vaccine for anyone born in 1970 or later."
Symptoms of measles include a fever of 38.3 C or higher, coughing, a runny nose or possibly red eyes. A red blotchy rash appears days after exposure and spreads from the ears and face to the torso.
People not considered susceptible to measles are those born in 1970 or earlier, individuals who have had measles previously and those who have received two doses of measles vaccine. (CTV Calgary)
