by Goat Staff
Alberta Health Services (AHS) has confirmed that an individual with lab-confirmed measles has been in several public settings in the Jasper area while infectious.
People in the below noted location on the dates and in the time-periods specified may have been exposed to measles:
Smitty’s Restaurant, 109 Miette Ave, Jasper
July 4, 2018 11:00 a.m. – 1:30 p.m.
July 5, 2018 10:30 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
Smitty’s Restaurant, 445 Gregg Ave, Hinton
July 5, 2018 7:00 p.m. – 10:00 p.m.
CN Station, 607 Connaught Dr, Jasper
July 4, 2018 11:30 a.m. – 2:30 p.m.
July 5, 2018 11:15 a.m. – 2:30 p.m.
Ranchers Sports Bar and Grill, 438 Smith St, Hinton
July 4, 2018 6:30 p.m. – 9:30 p.m.
Holiday Inn Express, 462 Smith St, Hinton
July 4, 2018 8:30 a.m. – 11:00 a.m., 9 p.m. – 11 p.m.
July 5, 2018 8:30 a.m. – 11:00 a.m., 9 p.m. – 11 p.m.
July 6, 2018 8:30 a.m. – 10:30 a.m.
Tim Hortons, 201 54 St, Edson
July 6, 2018 10:15 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
Alberta Health Services says Individuals are at risk of developing measles if they were in the above locations in the timeframes noted and were born after 1970 and they have not already had measles disease or have not received two doses of measles vaccine.
People exposed are asked to check for Measles symptoms for 21 days after the date of their potential exposure, which could be up to July 27, 2018 for those last exposed on July 6. If symptoms of measles develop, people are asked to stay home and call Health Link at 811 immediately, before visiting any healthcare facility or provider.
Symptoms of measles include:
- fever of 38.3° C or higher; and
- cough, runny nose and/or red eyes; and
- a red blotchy rash that appears three to seven days after fever starts, beginning behind the ears and on the face and spreading down the body and then to the arms and legs.
Measles is an extremely contagious disease, spread easily through the air. There is no treatment for measles; however, it can be prevented through immunization.
According to the article “Measles Elimination in Canada” published in the Journal of Infectious Diseases, before an immunization existed, many people contracted measles. The highest incidence was reported in 1935, with more than 83,000 cases. Deaths from measles complications were very common in the early 1900s. In 1926, there were 892 measles-associated deaths, the highest ever reported.
Today, the two-dose vaccine has virtually eliminated the virus in Canada.
For evidence-based information on immunizations check out:
