Sask. health authority warns of possible measles exposure in Kindersley

High demand for measles vaccine

The Saskatchewan Health Authority (SHA) is warning Kindersley residents they may have been exposed to measles last week if they visited two local businesses.

Anyone who visited Cameron’s Clothing company between May 5-8 or went to the pro shop at the Kindersley Regional Park and Golf Course on Wednesday evening may have been exposed to measles, following confirmed measles cases in the community, the SHA said in a news release Tuesday.

Symptoms may not appear for up to 21 days after exposure, the SHA says.

The health authority has issued multiple similar warnings about the highly communicable virus over the last month, in an effort to contain potential outbreaks.

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Saskatchewan recorded 15 new cases last week, more than doubling its total to 27 infections this year. Three quarters of the infections are in children, according to Saskatchewan’s top doctor Saqib Shahab. The youngest to contract the disease was just five months old.

Initial transmission began in rural areas of southern Saskatchewan, but the disease is now spreading across the province, according to medical health officer Dr. Simon Kapaj.

Measles symptoms include fever, cough, runny nose, red eyes, fatigue, small white spots inside the mouth and throat, and a characteristic red blotchy rash that develops on the face and spreads down the body several days after symptoms begin, lasting up to four to seven days.

If you’re symptomatic, the health authority says you should avoid attending a clinic in person, and call Healthline 811 for guidance.

“If you are in medical distress, do not delay seeking care. However, please call BEFORE entering the emergency department, or if calling 911, and inform the health care team that you may have been exposed to measles so proper precautions can be put in place to minimize spread,” the SHA said in the release.

The best way to prevent contracting measles is by getting vaccinated, the SHA says.

“With two doses, measles vaccination is almost 100 per cent effective.”

For details about current measles exposure alerts around Saskatchewan, visit the SHA’s website.

Kindersley is located about 200 kilometres southwest of Saskatoon.

-With files from Allison Bamford