Selkirk Montessori School measles scare over

Alert issued as student’s sibling was awaiting test results; Island Health plans immunization drive at school

A report of measles exposure at Selkirk Montessori School in Victoria has turned out to be a false alarm.

A sibling of a student at the school has tested negative for measles, Island Health chief medical health officer Dr. Richard Stanwick said Monday night. “We’re all very happy about that,” he said. Health and school officials had issued an alert in case the test proved to be positive.

Plans for an immunization drive at the school will go ahead, Stanwick said.

The measures announced, including asking unvaccinated students to stay home, are an example of what steps would be taken if measles is confirmed at a school, he said.

The sibling, who does not attend the school, had shown symptoms of measles, but officials couldn’t be certain until the test was conducted.

Earlier in the day, parents were told that students who haven’t been vaccinated could have to stay home for 21 days if the potential case of measles were verified.

Before the sibling tested negative for measles, school administrative head Penny Barner said the 300-student school, at 2970 Jutland Rd., is faring well. “Everything is fine,” she said. “The families are very understanding.”

Health officials will go ahead with a plan to visit the school and offer vaccines to all students, Stanwick said.

The health authority informed the school of the possible measles case on Sunday, and said that those using the school could have been exposed from April 8 to 12.

“We then sent out emails to our families to make sure that everybody knew what was going on,” Barner said.

There are currently six confirmed cases of the measles within Island Health jurisdiction.

Since measles became an issue for Island Health in March, more than 104,000 letters have been sent to parents advising them that in-school immunization clinics will be held this spring.

“Essentially, what we’re doing for Montessori we will be doing for the rest of the Island,” Stanwick said.

For a list of locations where people might have been exposed to measles, go to islandhealth.ca.

Symptoms of measles include fever, runny nose, sore throat, diarrhea, cough and red eyes. A few days after that, there will be a rash that begins on the face and travels to the chest.

Stanwick said the consequences of measles can be “extremely severe,” and vaccination is important.

“We do know one in 3,000 people who contract measles will die of measles,” he said.

“This disease is a potential killer. It can cause blindness, it can cause deafness.

“We have a vaccine that should have eliminated the scourge and instead we’re basically playing catch-up.”

The south Island, Duncan, Nanaimo and Salt Spring publichealth units are making it a priority to immunize children. Concerned adults should go to a pharmacy, family doctor or travel clinic.

Measles immunizations are free.

The past nine weeks have seen more than 4,900 measles vaccinations given in Island Health’s area — double the total from the same period in 2018.