By Times Chronicle Staff

Interior Health (IH) has confirmed additional measles cases in the Interior with infections now identified in  Kamloops, Kelowna, Salmon Arm and the Nelson area.

IH said it is following up directly with individuals who are known to have been exposed to the cases as part of normal contact tracing.

The new infections follow the identification of an infectious individual that travelled to BC from out of province and visited Sparwood on June 8.

This was followed by an advisory from Interior Health that a single measles case had been registered in Kamloops with the public advised of various locations the individual had visited on June 16.

For a full list of exposure locations across BC, please visit the BC Centre for Disease Control website.

Measles is a highly infectious disease easily transmitted by airborne spread. Most people in Canada will be immune to measles due to prior immunization or previous infection.

Individuals exposed to the measles virus should monitor for symptoms that may develop up to three weeks after being exposed. These include fever, dry cough, runny nose and red eyes; followed a few days later by a rash that usually starts on the face and spreads rapidly down to the rest of the body.

If you develop symptoms of measles, please call 8-1-1 for an initial assessment. If you need immediate medical attention, please wear a mask when visiting a health-care facility or clinic or ask for a mask when you arrive to help prevent spreading measles to others.

People who are at risk of getting measles are:

  • Those who have never had measles disease, and
  • Those who have not had two doses of a measles vaccine on or after 12 months of age

The best way to protect yourself and your loved ones against measles is to ensure vaccinations are up to date. To check your vaccination status please visit interiorhealth.ca/measles.

The risk of getting measles for individuals who have received two doses of the measles vaccine is extremely low. Two doses of measles vaccine provide almost 100 per cent protection and last a lifetime.