On Nov. 10, the Public Health Agency of Canada officially announced that Canada lost its measles-free status that they received back in 1988. In British Columbia alone, there are 365 confirmed cases of measles as of epidemiological week 45, which spans from Nov. 2 to Nov. 8. This data was updated on Nov. 17.
B.C.’s reported cases account for seven per cent of Canada’s total measles outbreak, the third largest behind Ontario and Alberta. The majority of cases in B.C. are concentrated in the Northeast part of the province.
BC Centre for Disease Control (BCCDC) confirmed that the measles outbreak and its resurgence are directly linked to a lack of immunization through the measles vaccine, with 88 per cent confirmed unimmunized cases. As of BCCDC’s report on Nov. 6, there are 41 active cases of measles in the Fraser Valley area. BCCDC promotes two doses of the vaccine as the best way to prevent the disease. For more information on how to receive a measles immunizing vaccine, visit HealthLinkBC’s website.
