According to the government's dashboard, Alberta infants died from measles as they creep up nearly 2,000 across the state.
It is Alberta's first death since the most infectious virus on the planet was revived in Canada.
The child born prematurely after her mother contracted measles during her pregnancy died shortly after birth, the state said Thursday.
“We wanted this moment not to come as the measles incident was first reported in Alberta this spring,” Health Minister Adriana Lagrange said in a statement in Global News.
“This is a heartbreaking loss and we cannot capture the pain of losing a child.
It is not known where or when a baby in Alberta was born and died.
The state said children under the age of five, pregnant women and people with weakened immune systems face the greatest risks of measles.
Measles during pregnancy can lead to serious complications including miscarriage, premature birth, stillbirth and congenital infections.
A similar tragedy occurred in Ontario in June. At that time, a premature infant who was born after being infected with a highly contagious virus through her mother died.
Lagrange said vaccinations during pregnancy are not recommended, so anyone planning to get pregnant should make sure they receive two doses of a vaccine containing measles before conception.
If you are unsure about your vaccination status, call 811 or visit alberta.ca/measles for more information.
“Take steps to protect yourself and the most vulnerable people in our community,” Lagrange said.
The case creeps near 2k
Since March, 1,914 measles cases have been reported in Alberta, with the majority occurring in the South (998) and North (704) Alberta Health Services Zones.
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Cases have been slower in recent months since the peak in July when 147 was reported in a week. Eight were recorded in the state last week.
Of the nearly 2,000 people in Alberta, more than 150 were hospitalized, of which 15 needed ICU care.
When it was declared eradicated in Canada in 1998, measles revived and spread rapidly in recent months due to a decline in vaccination rates.
Data show that 89% of Albertans with lab-confirmed measles have not been vaccinated. This is 1,706 people. A further 55 people received one record dose, while 79 people received more than two.
Another 70 people were not sure about their vaccination status.
Earlier this year, Alberta surpassed everything in the US in confirmed cases.
Most people who get sick are children and teenagers. Albertans under the age of 18 account for 1,390 cases.
It was very bad in the south and north, so the AHS had permanent exposure recommendations issued for these zones. People in certain communities should always assume they are at risk of catching the most contagious diseases in the world.
Alberta Health Services still shares known public exposure locations in Edmonton, Calgary, Central and North Zone.
Measles, known for its distinctive red rash, is one of the most infectious viruses on the planet, with Rs of 12 to 18. This means that one infected person can spread to up to 18 people in the unvaccinated population.
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To see it, the R of the original strain of Covid-19 was around 2-3, and highly mobile variants like Omicron rarely exceeded 10.
Measles can “erase” the immune system's memory
Measles is a highly contagious disease and can easily spread in the air.
Symptoms include:
A rash of 38.3°C or high volume, runny nose and/or red eyes usually spreads across the body, behind the ears and behind the face, then on the arms and legs. The rash is red and has spots on mild skin tone. With skin tone, it may look purple or darker than the surrounding skin, or it may be difficult to see.
Complications of measles include ear infections, pneumonia, brain inflammation, early delivery and rare death.
Highly contagious viruses don't just cause rashes and fever. It can also wipe out memories of the immune system and become vulnerable to previously fought infections, such as flu, colds, and even vaccinated illnesses.
Health Canada warns that measles can lead to severe immunosuppression known as immune amnesia. This increases the risk of other illnesses and even increases the likelihood of death months or years after infection, health agencies say on their website.
People who are pregnant or have weakened their immune system or babies under the age of one year are at their greatest risk.
If measles symptoms develop, individuals are encouraged to stay home at 811 and call the health link before visiting a medical facility or provider, including their family doctor or pharmacy.
The measles vaccine is extremely effective in preventing infections and complications and is available freely in Alberta.
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