Measles Exposure Prompts New Alerts in Alberta

Alberta health officials are alerting the public about potential measles exposures, this time at a children’s hospital. Several locations and specific timeframes are under scrutiny, prompting health officials to urge vigilance and vaccination checks.

Hospital Exposure Details

Alberta Health Services (AHS) has issued a warning regarding possible measles exposure at the Stollery Children’s Hospital. Individuals who were in specific areas of the hospital on June 18 and 19 may have been exposed to the contagious virus. This recent alert follows previous warnings about possible exposure risks at a Dollarama and the Grey Nuns Community Hospital.

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The Alberta government’s measles dashboard reports 1,020 province-wide cases currently, with 995 past the communicable period. The number of confirmed cases includes seven in Edmonton, 20 in Calgary, and 681 in southern Alberta.

“Measles is an extremely contagious disease and the virus spreads easily through the air.”

—AHS Official

According to the CDC, measles can lead to severe complications, with up to 1 in 20 children developing pneumonia, and 1 or 2 children in every 1,000 cases dying from the illness (CDC, 2024).

Exposure Locations and Times

The affected areas and times at the Stollery Children’s Hospital are: the Emergency Department (June 18, approximately 3:30 a.m. – 5:30 p.m.), from the Emergency Department to Unit 4E4/F2 via patient elevator (June 18, 3:20 p.m. – 5:30 p.m.), and Unit 4E4/F2 (June 18, approximately 3:25 p.m. to June 19, 3:35 p.m.). AHS advises that anyone present at these locations during these periods, born in or after 1970, with fewer than two documented measles vaccine doses, may be at risk.

Symptoms and Prevention

People are urged to review their vaccination records to verify they have received two documented vaccine doses. Measles symptoms include a fever of 38.3 Celsius or higher; a cough, runny nose, and/or red eyes; and a rash that usually begins behind the ears and on the face, spreading down the body, appearing three to seven days after the fever starts. Those experiencing symptoms should contact the measles hotline at 1-844-944-3434 before seeking healthcare.

The province offers free measles vaccinations through its immunization program, reinforcing the importance of vaccination for public health.