Dr. Bonnie Henry, BC’s provincial health officer, and Dr. Jason Wong, chief medical officer for the BC Centre for Disease (BCCDC), are encouraged by this news but remind people in BC to remain vigilant about the risk of measles.
“While the end of the outbreak in Canada is welcome news, measles remains a threat. The virus is still spreading in many parts of the world, and we expect to continue seeing travel-related cases in Canada,” said Dr. Henry. “That’s why it is so important for people in BC to stay up to date on their vaccinations. Immunization remains the best way to protect ourselves, our families and our communities.”
“I want to thank everyone who took action to limit the spread of measles,” said Dr. Henry.
“People checked their immunization records, booked appointments to catch up on missed vaccines, reported symptoms to public health, and participated in contact tracing efforts to limit ongoing spread.”
“I also want to recognize the work of my public health colleagues across the country, especially the regional health authorities in BC as well as the First Nations Health Authority,” she said. “Their efforts included enhanced surveillance, scaled-up contact tracing, community outreach, and making immunizations more accessible. Together, these measures were instrumental to bringing this outbreak under control.”
Measles is an extremely contagious virus. While many people think measles is a mild disease, it is a serious illness that can lead to complications including pneumonia, encephalitis (swelling of the brain) and even death.
“This outbreak and the loss of Canada’s measles elimination status is a wake-up call and an important reminder that routine childhood immunizations are critical,” said Dr. Wong.
“Measles-containing vaccines are safe and very effective at preventing this serious illness and reducing the spread of this disease.”
