Many Sask. families not accepting measles vaccine as cases rise, chief medical health officer says

WATCH: Chief medical health officer says Sask. families not accepting measles vaccine as cases rise.

Saskatchewan’s Chief Medical Health Officer Dr. Saqib Shahab says 37 cases of measles have been reported in the province between March 14 and May 14, with the youngest case a five-month-old infant.

According to Shahab, 70 per cent of reported cases have been in pre-school and school aged children and 95 per cent of cases were in unvaccinated individuals.

Only one case has been reported in a person who had two doses of the measles vaccine.

Shahab said there has also been four hospitalizations reported as of May 16.

“Eight of the 10 new cases reported on [May 14] are in the central-west and central-east, so most of the new measles cases as well as most of the cases were either travel related or some local transmission now in southern rural parts of the province,” he said.

Shahab said the situation remains concerning but also not surprising.

“There’s some good evidence that vaccine uptake in pre-school aged and young adult populations who were not vaccinated or had not yet received both doses has increased in the last two months,” Shahab said.

However, Shahab said many families are still not accepting vaccines despite public health staff reaching out to them.

“This means that the measles outbreak will continue, hospitalizations will continue, exposure to persons at higher risk including infants under one, unvaccinated pregnant women and immune compromised who are at higher risk for severe complications will continue,” he said.

According to Shahab there is an estimated 20,000 to 30,000 people unvaccinated in the province.

The Saskatchewan Health Authority has said that with two doses, the measles vaccine is nearly 100 per cent effective, is safe and free of charge when administered by public health.

Shahab said because pharmacists generally do not vaccinate children between 12 and 18 months, which is when the measles vaccine is usually given, most Saskatchewan pharmacies are not administering measles doses but could do so if required.

“Traditionally public health clinics have been able to meet that need, when we give the flu vaccine or COVID vaccine over six weeks that is 200,000 , 300,000 vaccines given. We think another 10,000, 15,000 doses of [measles] vaccines distributed throughout the province would stop the outbreak,” he said, adding right now public health can meet that demand.

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Shahab says with influenza infections on the downtick for the season, those who develop symptoms such as a fever and cough, along with red eyes and a runny nose are likely to be experiencing the start of a measles infection and should isolate immediately.

“A rash two to three days after the start of symptoms on the face starting behind the ears and on the face and moving down to cover the rest of the body confirms measles,” Shahab said.

Shahab added it is important to isolate for four days after the start of a rash.

“As we are infectious when we get measles from four days before the start of the rash to four days after, it is important to let public health know where you have been so that others at risk can be informed,” Shahab said.

• More measles exposures reported in Sask., including Regina and Saskatoon

According to Shahab, Canada eliminated local transmission of measles in 1998.

“Since then, the only cases we would see were individuals who had travelled to other parts of the world, came back, developed measles. There would be a quick public health investigation, they would isolate - and because overall we had a high vaccination rate and because the household and surrounding communities had a high vaccination rate, we would not see community transmission,” Shahab said.

According to the province, from 2015 to 2024 there was only two cases of measles reported in Saskatchewan.

More information from the Saskatchewan Health Authority can be found here.