With 710 measles cases now confirmed in Alberta, this marks the worst year since 1986

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Calgary

Alberta has present confirmed 710 measles cases truthful acold this year, according to caller information released Monday, surpassing the 690-case people acceptable successful 1987.

Disease continues to spread, chiefly successful kids and teens extracurricular large cities

Robson Fletcher · CBC News

· Posted: Jun 02, 2025 5:25 PM EDT | Last Updated: 3 hours ago

Measles vaccine.

Of measles cases this twelvemonth wherever the patient's immunization presumption is known, 91% person been successful individuals who ne'er received a measles vaccine. Another 5% were among radical who had received 1 of the 2 recommended beingness doses. (Rafferty Baker/CBC)

Alberta has present confirmed 710 measles cases truthful acold this year, according to caller information released Monday, surpassing the 690-case people acceptable successful 1987.

This twelvemonth present marks the astir cases successful a calendar twelvemonth since 1986, erstwhile 843 cases were reported.

The archetypal outbreak this twelvemonth began successful March and the illness has dispersed passim the spring, chiefly extracurricular of the Calgary and Edmonton wellness zones.


The South Zone has been the hardest hit, accounting for 520 of the cases truthful acold this year.

The Central Zone has seen 102 cases portion the North Zone has seen 69.

No caller cases were reported successful the Calgary Zone oregon the Edmonton Zone implicit the weekend. The province's 2 astir populous wellness zones person seen a full of 19 cases truthful acold this year, betwixt them.

The dispersed of measles has occurred chiefly among children and teenagers: astir 29 per cent of the cases are among kids nether the property of five, portion 46 per cent are among those betwixt the ages of 5 and 17.


Four radical were successful infirmary with measles arsenic of Sunday, 1 of whom was successful intensive care.

About 10 per cent of cases with known outcomes person resulted successful hospitalization truthful acold this year.  That includes astir 1.5 per cent which required intensive care. No measles deaths person been reported successful 2025.

Of measles cases wherever the patient's immunization presumption is known, 91 per cent person been successful individuals who ne'er received a measles vaccine. Another 5 per cent were among radical who had received 1 of the 2 recommended beingness doses.


Health officials successful the South Zone person said the fig of confirmed cases is apt lone the "tip of the iceberg" arsenic not everyone who is infected seeks aesculapian treatment.

Alberta Health Services issues localized vulnerability warnings for assorted communities wherever radical with communicable measles person travelled.

It has besides issued a "standing measles vulnerability advisory" for the full South Zone.

"All individuals living, working, oregon attending schoolhouse in, oregon travelling to, the South Zone are advised to beryllium alert of the important existent hazard for measles disease, and guarantee immunizations are up to date," the advisory reads.

"At this point, anyone successful the South Zone who was calved successful oregon aft 1970 and has less than 2 documented doses of measles-containing vaccine, is astatine hazard for processing measles. They should show for symptoms of measles and are powerfully encouraged to reappraisal their immunization records."

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Robson Fletcher's enactment for CBC Calgary focuses connected data, investigation and investigative journalism. He joined CBC successful 2015 aft spending the erstwhile decennary moving arsenic a newsman and exertion astatine newspapers successful Alberta, British Columbia and Manitoba.

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