EDMONTON — Alberta Health Services says it has confirmed multiple cases of measles in the Edmonton area.
An advisory issued by the health authority Sunday warns that public exposure to the highly contagious disease may have occurred at two Edmonton locations last week.
The advisory says those who attended the Belle Rive Medicentres Family Health Care Clinic in the north end on Wednesday afternoon could have been exposed.
Anyone who attended the emergency department at the Stollery Children's Hospital late Friday evening may have been exposed as well.
Edmonton is the latest Alberta city to be issued an advisory after a string of confirmed cases were reported elsewhere in the province.
A case was confirmed in the Calgary area on Saturday and an AHS advisory for the city and surrounding area says exposure may have occurred at four locations between March 8 and March 12.
On Friday AHS also confirmed "several" measles cases in the Fort Vermilion area, 660 kilometres north of Edmonton.
Earlier this month an outbreak also occurred in John D'Or Prairie, which includes Little Red River Cree Nation.
Little Red River Cree Nation Chief Conroy Sewepagaham said on social media Sunday that the community has eight confirmed cases covering three households. He said another suspected case is pending lab testing results.
Alberta Health was not immediately able to provide an exact number of confirmed cases in the province.
AHS says individuals who were potentially exposed and who were born after 1970 and have less than two doses of the measles vaccine should monitor themselves for symptoms.
Symptoms include a fever higher than 38.3 C and a red spot-like rash that begins on the face and appears a few days following the onset of a fever.
Coughing, a runny-nose, and eye redness are also symptoms of measles.
If symptoms do appear AHS says individuals should stay home and call Health Link at 811 before visiting a health-care facility or doctor.
In a statement issued last week Alberta's chief medical officer of health Dr. Mark Joffe said measles shouldn't be taken lightly and encouraged Albertans to get vaccinated against it if they aren't already.
"No one should have to endure the consequences of a disease we can prevent,” said Joffe.
“Measles is not just a mild childhood illness — it is a serious, highly infectious disease that can have devastating consequences."
The Public Health Agency of Canada says the disease can be deadly, and severe cases can also cause brain inflammation and deafness.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 17, 2025.
Jack Farrell, The Canadian Press
