Health officials in northeast B.C. are warning the measles outbreak isn’t over, and could flare up again as schools reopen and students return to the classroom.
Cases across the Northern Health region have nearly doubled over the past month, according to the B.C. Centre for Disease Control.
Dr. Jong Kim, chief medical health officer for Northern Health, says the majority of those cases have been in the northeast, where vaccination rates remain below the level needed to stop transmission heading into fall.
“There are concerns,” he said. “It’s a new school season, and we are at the higher level of risk of exposure and spread of measles than what has been previously.”
The outbreak, the province’s worst since 2014, began before summer break at an elementary school in the community of Wonowon, around 90 kilometres northwest of Fort St. John.
The virus quickly spread through subsequent exposures at shops and businesses, as well as at Fort St. John’s emergency room and prenatal clinic for pregnant mothers.
Since then, 187 confirmed and probable cases have been recorded in northern B.C., with some exposures also reported in Prince George and Smithers, Kim said.
Most people have recovered at home, but some very young unimmunized children have required hospital care, he said, with some cases transferred to the Lower Mainland for more intensive treatment.
Immunization rates rise, but still too low
Northern Health saw an uptick in vaccinations in June and July as the outbreak spread.
But Kim says current coverage among children in the two- and seven-year-old age groups still sits well below what’s needed to stop the virus from spreading.
“For the northeast, we’re largely sitting somewhere between 60 to 70 per cent in those age groups,” Kim said. “That’s significant available protection … although it’s not enough for the herd immunity to stop the transmission altogether.”
Public health officials typically aim for at least 90 per cent coverage to halt the spread of highly contagious diseases like measles, Kim said.
Northern Health will continue offering community and school-based vaccination clinics through the fall, he added, with the goal of reaching students who have either missed doses or not been immunized at all.
Minister rules out proof of vaccination
B.C. Health Minister Josie Osborne toured hospitals in the northeast last week, saying she was “impressed” by the preparations for patient care and a possible surge in measles cases.
She urged families to get their children vaccinated and to report their status to schools, but ruled out requiring proof of vaccinations for attendance.
“Measles is a very serious disease that can result in very serious complications, including death,” Osborne said. “That’s the worst case outcome, and we don’t want anybody to experience that.”
“We want children to be able to attend school safely and happily, and receive the education that they need and deserve.”
Osborne says the province is also working to reach families who may still be hesitant about vaccines. Parents with questions should talk to their health-care providers, she said.
Measles cases in B.C. remain low, with just five confirmed cases — all of them travel-related. But elsewhere, the numbers are exploding. Experts warn of further spread due to low vaccination rates. CBC’s medical columnist, Dr. Melissa Lem, says she’s been fielding questions from concerned parents. She says school-age kids are particularly vulnerable, and the virus can leave lasting damage to lungs and the immune system and even cause brain damage.
“[We’re] also doing some very sensitive and targeted outreach into certain parts of communities where perceptions and feelings might be different about vaccinations, and really trying hard to work with those communities in reassuring them about the safety and the importance of vaccinations.”
Health officials say the coming weeks will be critical. If vaccination rates continue to rise, the outbreak may fizzle. If not, more cases could follow.
“This measles situation that we’re seeing across Canada really underlines the safety and the effectiveness of the vaccine, the level of protection it provides for the individual, for the family, and for the community,” Kim said. “A huge difference it is making.”
While B.C. has recorded a little over 100 cases of measles as of July 5, neighbouring Alberta has recorded more cases than the entirety of the U.S. despite having a fraction of the population. Dr. Susan Kuo, a Richmond family physician, said the current outbreak could be prevented with up-to-date vaccinations, and the COVID-19 pandemic had led to an increase in vaccine skepticism and poor disease mitigation.