Measles cases in Saskatchewan have more than doubled in the past week and health officials are expecting to see new cases daily, the province’s top doctor says.
Since March 14, the Saskatchewan Health Authority has confirmed 27 cases of measles in the province, 15 of which happened in the past week, according to Chief Medical Health Officer Dr. Saqib Shahab.
“Our cases are rising rapidly now,” Shahab told reporters Thursday morning in Regina. “We are now in Saskatchewan part of the unprecedented North American measles outbreak.… We are now entering a phase where we will likely see cases every day.”
All confirmed cases were linked to travel outside the province, but health officials are bracing for community spread as numbers rise. Most cases are happening in rural communities in central and south parts of the province, Shahab said.
Children make up about 75 per cent of measles cases in the province, with the youngest being a five-month-old, Shahab said. All but one of the 27 cases involved unvaccinated people and two cases required hospitalization, he added.
“The social contract of keeping each other safe and protected is broken,” Shahab said. “For those who choose to keep themselves and their children unvaccinated, it means now the outbreak in Saskatchewan will continue for weeks to months.”
In 1998, measles was declared eliminated from Canada due to the success of public immunization programs.
Declining vaccination rates have resulted in outbreaks across the country this year.
The SHA said the measles vaccine is almost 100 per cent effective at preventing the disease, but in Saskatchewan only about 75 per cent of children had received both recommended doses of the Measles Mumps Rubella (MMR) vaccine by their second birthday in 2024.
Measles is a highly infectious virus that is spread through the air.
Symptoms generally include fever, runny nose, rash and cough, but can lead to severe complications including respiratory failure and swelling of the brain. In the most severe cases, measles can lead to death.
The SHA said anyone who was exposed to measles and is exhibiting symptoms can call HealthLine 811 or their health-care provider for assessment.
The SHA is also asking people not to visit clinics, but said if they are in medical distress they should call emergency departments before visiting and inform medical personnel that they were exposed to measles.
