Alberta appoints interim chief medical officer of health as province grapples with measles outbreaks

CBC News

· Posted: Apr 17, 2025 9:21 PM EDT | Last Updated: 7 minutes ago

The Alberta authorities appointed Dr. Sunil Sookram arsenic interim chief aesculapian serviceman of wellness Thursday amid increasing measles outbreaks and after the erstwhile apical doc near the relation earlier this week.

Sookram takes implicit for Dr. Mark Joffe, whose contract ended connected Monday, aft it had been extended for 2 weeks. Premier Danielle Smith confirmed this week that Joffe left of his ain accord. He had been the province's apical doc since 2022.

In a statement, the state said Sookram's temporary appointment ensures continuity portion arrangements are finalized for a longer-term replacement. More accusation volition beryllium shared successful the coming weeks arsenic the process progresses, the state said.

Sookram is presently the installation aesculapian manager and main of aesculapian unit astatine Strathcona Community Hospital successful Sherwood Park. He is besides a objective prof successful the Department of Emergency Medicine astatine the University of Alberta and practises arsenic an exigency doc astatine the University of Alberta Hospital, the state says.

"I'm blessed to service arsenic Alberta's interim main aesculapian serviceman of health. I look guardant to moving with the government, my colleagues and wellness partners to beforehand and support the wellness of each Albertans," Sookram said successful a statement.

Health Minister Adriana LaGrange said Sookram has served Albertans done his vocation successful exigency medicine and helium brings a wealthiness of acquisition to the role.

"I admit his willingness to service successful this capableness connected a impermanent ground arsenic we enactment to finalize the campaigner for the interim main aesculapian serviceman of wellness position. I besides privation to convey Dr. Mark Joffe for his work and dedication implicit the past 3 years," LaGrange said successful a statement.

Measles cases proceed to climb

There were six new cases of measles successful Alberta reported connected Thursday: four in the cardinal zone, 1 successful the Calgary portion and one successful the southbound zone.

This brings the full fig of confirmed cases to day to 89. Of those, 83 individuals are present past the play of communicability, the state says.

Measles symptoms include:

• High fever.
• Cough.
• Runny nose.
• Red eyes.
• A blotchy, reddish rash that appears 3 to 7 days aft the fever starts.

Albertans are advised to telephone Health Link astatine 811 if they person measles symptoms oregon deliberation they've been exposed, earlier visiting a hospital, session oregon wellness attraction providers specified arsenic pharmacists.

For much accusation astir measles, sojourn the province's website.