Health system issues measles alert

An airline passenger with measles may have spread the highly contagious illness to other people during a trip to Edmonton from Vancouver last month, Alberta Health Services stated Friday in a public health alert.

The health authority said it has already started contacting passengers of a WestJet flight which arrived on Feb. 24 to let them know of the possible exposure.

The flight landed in Edmonton around midnight. Alberta Health Services says anyone who was in the Edmonton International Airport in the subsequent hours — from 12:30 a.m. to 3:30 a.m. on Feb. 25 — may have also been exposed. Such people are asked to call Health Link (811) to be assessed for risk.

AHS said anyone who was born after 1970 and has received less than two doses of measles vaccine may be at risk if they come into the vicinity of an infected person. The virus is easily spread through the air.

Those who experience symptoms such as a high fever, cough, runny nose, red eyes and a blotchy red rash should stay home and call Health Link before visiting any health centre, AHS said. Alberta’s public health officials are particularly wary of measles following surprise outbreaks in the province in 2013 and 2014. Measles has no cure. Most cases eventually clear up on their own, but some infections can lead to severe complications like pneumonia, encephalitis and death.