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The risk of measles in Alberta is now at its highest level in 25 years, the province's top public health official warned in a letter distributed to families last week.
Dr. Sunil Sookram, Alberta's interim Chief Medical Officer of Health, said 761 cases had been confirmed as of June 5, with 576 of those involving children under 18. In a letter dated June 6 and circulated by Rocky View Schools on June 9, Sookram urged parents and guardians to ensure children are immunized before the summer travel season.
Disease resurgence in Alberta
"Measles is spreading—not just in other parts of the world but right here in Alberta," Sookram wrote. "This disease, once rare in Canada thanks to measles vaccines, is now circulating in several areas of our province."
"It's a highly contagious illness that spreads quickly, especially in close-knit communities where people gather frequently and where immunization rates are lower," he wrote.
Sookram noted that young children are among the most affected by the current outbreak. "The reality is measles often hits young children the hardest," he wrote.
Urging vaccinations
Sookram thanked families who had already sought vaccinations over the past few months and reiterated the importance of keeping immunizations up to date.
"The measles vaccine is highly effective at preventing infection and complications from disease," he wrote. "As we approach the summer months and increased travel, I want to reiterate that you can protect yourselves, your loved ones and the people around them by ensuring measles immunizations are up to date."
He warned that the threat level is now higher than it has been in a generation.
"For those who choose not to, it's important to understand the risk of illness and transmission of measles in Alberta is now at the highest it's been in 25 years," he wrote.
Safety guidance for families
"While getting your measles immunization is the first and most critical thing you can do," Sookram wrote, "it is also important to stay home when feeling sick, avoid close contact with people who are sick, and call Health Link at 811 before visiting any hospital, clinic or healthcare provider."
Provincial resources available
The letter included several resources now available for families with questions about measles exposure, vaccination status or symptoms.
A dedicated measles hotline is available at 1-844-944-3434. Albertans can also text the phrase "vaccine record" to 88111 to check their or their child's immunization history. Additional fact sheets and a measles toolkit are available online at alberta.ca/measles.
Sookram said the hotline is available for all inquiries related to immunization records, symptom questions, or to book an appointment.
School response protocols
If a measles case is reported in a school, Sookram said Alberta Health Services will issue further instructions.
"Direction will be provided by public health staff under the direction of the Medical Officer of Health on next steps to help reduce the risk of further spread within the school and broader community," he wrote.
Case counts continue to rise
Since the Chief Medical Officer of Health's letter was issued, Alberta's confirmed measles case total has risen to 868, according to Government of Alberta data released at noon on June 12.
Of those, 839 cases are no longer considered communicable, while 29 remain active.
The South Zone continues to report the highest number of confirmed cases with 606, followed by the North Zone with 134. The Calgary Zone has reported 18, while the Central Zone has recorded 104, and the Edmonton Zone has reported six.
Children continue to make up the majority of confirmed cases:
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247 are in children under five,
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403 in youth aged five to 17,
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214 in adults aged 18 to 54, and
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Four in people 55 and older.
As of June 11, Alberta Health Services reported five hospitalizations linked to confirmed measles cases, including one in intensive care.
Government officials caution that the case total does not reflect the number of individuals who may have been exposed or who are infected but not yet diagnosed. Public health units continue to determine communicability status for each case as part of ongoing contact tracing.
South Zone advisory in effect
Alberta Health Services has issued a standing measles exposure advisory for the South Zone due to the volume of cases and widespread potential exposure risk. The province said the advisory replaces site-specific warnings, which no longer capture the full extent of risk in that zone.
"All South Zone residents, workers, students and visitors should ensure their measles immunizations are up to date," the province stated. Individuals born in or after 1970 with fewer than two documented vaccine doses are being urged to review their records and monitor for symptoms.
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