News/Canada/Calgary

Alberta's measles outbreaks have now eclipsed the 1,000-case mark and infectious disease specialists are warning the virus is "impossible to contain," given the current level of transmission.The province reported another 24 cases on Friday, including 14 in the north zone, nine in the south and one in the Edmonton zone.This brings the total confirmed cases since the outbreaks began in March to 1,020."It is a very grim milestone," said Dr. Karina Top, a pediatric infectious disease physician at the Stollery Children's Hospital in Edmonton, which has been treating children with measles."I'm very worried we're going to see more hospitalizations and some deaths soon because we know the death rate is about one to two per thousand. So it's likely that we're going to see that and that will be a ve...

As the province's measles case count approaches 1,000, health experts are raising the alarm about Alberta babies who are being born already infected with the virus.The provincial government has confirmed cases of congenital measles, which can lead to severe complications, including death, have already occurred as a result of this year's outbreaks. Pregnant Albertans are also testing positive."Fewer than five cases of congenital measles have been reported in Alberta in 2025. In each case, the mother was not immunized. Information on whether the infants were born prematurely is not available," an official with Primary and Preventative Health Services said in an email."To date, there have been 20 confirmed cases of measles in pregnant individuals. Fewer than five have been hospitalized due to...

The Alberta government is facing fierce and mounting opposition to plans that will reduce access to publicly funded COVID-19 vaccines in the provinceThe province announced late on Friday that it will limit funding of the COVID-19 shots to very specific high risk groups, including Albertans living in care homes and group settings, those receiving home care, people on social programs such as AISH, and immunocompromised individuals.Seniors living in the community, pregnant Albertans and health-care workers will have to pay out of pocket for the vaccine, along with the rest of the population. The province estimates the cost at $110 per dose."My dominant emotion is sadness because of the people who are going to be affected by this misguided policy," said Dr. James Talbot, a former provincial ch...

Doctors and scientists worry Alberta's measles outbreaks could signal the start of a new era when other dangerous infectious diseases of the past could re-emerge and pose new health threats.The province is battling its worst wave of measles cases in nearly half a century and there is no end in sight.The virus was declared eliminated in Canada in 1998. But vaccination rates have declined in Alberta, and around the country in recent years. "To some extent measles is the canary in the coalmine," said Dr. Cora Constantinescu, a pediatric infectious diseases specialist at Alberta Children's Hospital in Calgary.As of Friday, a total of 879 measles cases had been reported in the province since the outbreaks began in March."When the immunization rates go down and you have a lot of unprotected peop...

Alberta's measles surge is so dramatic, the last time case counts were higher Calgary did not have an NHL team, O Canada was not yet the official national anthem and gasoline would set you back 24 cents a litre.The province reported 29 more cases on Thursday, bringing the total since the outbreaks began in March to 868. That pushes the province past the levels seen during a surge in 1986, when 854 cases were reported.A higher case count hasn't been recorded since 1979."It's a little shocking. The numbers we're looking at now today really haven't been seen in Alberta since the 1970s," said Craig Jenne, a professor in the department of microbiology, immunology and infectious diseases at the University of Calgary."[We're] really going back to an era where the vaccine program really was just g...

As Alberta faces the prospect of another summer plagued by wildfire smoke, experts are urging people to monitor conditions and take steps to protect their long-term health.Environment Canada issued an air quality warning for the city of Calgary on Wednesday as the Air Quality Health Index (AQHI) hit levels indicating very high risk.Fires are already burning in parts of Western Canada, and a mix of dry conditions and hot weather could further increase the risk of wildfires in the coming months, Environment Canada warned this week."This is awful that we're facing another potential summer of this poor air quality and wildfire smoke," said Kerri Johannson, a Calgary-based pulmonary physician."We know that long-term exposure to air pollution — and this is exactly what this is — is a risk factor...

Seven people have been hospitalized after eating salami recalled due to possible salmonella contamination.The Public Health Agency of Canada released a notice Wednesday stating that 57 people — 44 in Alberta and 13 in Ontario — got sick after eating Rea brand Genoa Salami Sweet, Rea brand Genoa Salami Hot and Bona brand Mild Genova Salami.The federal agency said most people were ill between mid-April and late May, after eating salami in prepared sandwiches or bought from deli counters.Products were also distributed at grocery stores, specialty markets, restaurants, cafés, delis and butcher shops. The Canadian Food Inspection Agency recalled the products in Ontario, Alberta and Manitoba on June 10.They recommend checking for the following product codes: 5035 226, 5049 226, 5020 228, 5035 22...

As summer approaches, Alberta's measles case counts are expected to keep climbing and some experts worry transmission will become even more widespread.With 31 new cases reported over the weekend, Alberta's total case count jumped to 809 by midday Monday.Five people are currently hospitalized due to the virus, including two patients who are in intensive care.The outbreaks began in March and while cases have been confirmed in all zones, the south, central and north zones are the hardest hit."This is not showing signs of slowing at this point," said Caroline Colijn, a professor and Canada Research Chair of Mathematics for Evolution, Infection and Public Health at Simon Fraser University.She predicts  Alberta's measles case counts will keep climbing for months."I would expect it will continue ...

As Alberta's measles case counts soar, doctors and scientists are warning parents about the long-term and lesser-known complications of measles.And they can be deadly.As of midday Wednesday Alberta had reported a total of 749 cases since the outbreaks began in March.What many parents may not realize is that a rare and debilitating neurological condition, called subacute sclerosing panencephalitis (SSPE) can develop long after a child recovers from measles."It just frightens the heck out of me," said Dr. Sam Wong, an Edmonton-based pediatrician and president of the section of pediatrics with the Alberta Medical Association."Thankfully it doesn't happen very often but, when it does, it's devastating."Most people can clear the measles virus once their infection is over.But in some very young ...

Alberta has now confirmed 710 measles cases so far this year, according to new data released Monday, surpassing the 690-case mark set in 1987.This year now marks the most cases in a calendar year since 1986, when 843 cases were reported.The initial outbreak this year began in March and the disease has spread throughout the spring, mainly outside of the Calgary and Edmonton health zones.The South Zone has been the hardest hit, accounting for 520 of the cases so far this year.The Central Zone has seen 102 cases while the North Zone has seen 69.No new cases were reported in the Calgary Zone or the Edmonton Zone over the weekend. The province's two most populous health zones have seen a total of 19 cases so far this year, between them.The spread of measles has occurred primarily among children...