The number of measles cases in British Columbia as a whole continues to grow, with theĀ Interior Health Authority announcing the region’s firstĀ confirmed case of the year.
The confirmed case in Kamloops, was announced by the authority on Tuesday.
Dr. Sanaz Vaseghi, a medical officer with Interior Health, said it’s not clear how the person was exposed to measles, which makes it more difficult to determine who else in the Kamloops area may have it.
The risk to the broader public is considered low, but Vaseghi urged anyoneĀ who is not adequately immunizedĀ to get vaccinated.
So far this year,Ā 49 measles cases have been reported in B.C.,Ā according to the B.C. Centre for Disease Control (BCCDC).
Interior Health said it is following up directly with peopleĀ who are known to have been exposed to the case in Kamloops.
It shared a list of locations visited by the infected person on June 16 between noonĀ and 11:35Ā p.m.Ā and on June 18 betweenĀ 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. The listĀ includes a Denny’s restaurant, a Shoppers Drug Mart, and the Aberdeen Mall.
Fraser Health saidĀ measles infections have been confirmed in three unvaccinated Chilliwack residents since Friday and the cases appear to have been acquired locally.
It said members of the public may have been exposed to measles at three locations in Chilliwack, including a Walmart and Mark’sĀ on June 16,Ā andĀ a barber shop on June 18.
Northern Health is confirming 18 measles cases in northeastern BC, in the town of Wonowon and surrounding areas of the Peace River region. That brings the total number of cases province-wide this year to 30.
Most of the confirmed measles cases in the provinceĀ have been reported in the Northern Health authority, according to the BCCDC.
A bulletin from Northern Health earlier this month said it had identified “multiple lab-confirmed cases” of measles in the community of Wonowon, about 90 kilometres northwest of Fort St. John.
In addition to the confirmed cases in Chilliwack and Kamloops, the BCCDC says that there was a possible measles exposure at the Tsawwassen Ferry Terminal, on June 20 between 11:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m.
Officials say there may have been exposures on the 12 p.m. and 8 p.m. sailings from Tsawwassen to Swartz Bay, and the 2 p.m. and 6 p.m. sailings from Swartz Bay to Tsawwassen that day.
Health authorities are also warning of a possible exposure at the Hot and ColdĀ CafĆ©Ā in Victoria on June 20, between 3 p.m. and 6 p.m.
Another potential exposure was reported at the Marriott Civic Autograph Hotel in Surrey on June 20 between 8:30 p.m. and 11 p.m., and on June 21 between 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
Measles is a highly infectious disease with airborne transmission, and the health authorities said people who have never had the infection or haven’t received two doses of vaccine are at higher risk of falling ill.
The B.C. Centre for Disease Control is warning about possible measles exposures across the province as the number of cases rise. Seventeen new cases have been reported in the Fraser Health, Interior Health and Northern Health regions since June 19. As Meera Bains reports, there are concerns there will be more cases as summer travel picks up.
They said symptoms such as fever, dry cough, runny nose, and red eyes, followed by a rash that starts on the face and spreads rapidly down to the rest of the bodyĀ can develop between seven and 21 days after exposure.
Measles can cause complications like pneumonia and swelling of the brain and may lead to death, the health authorities said.