Measles cases rising in southern Alberta

Alberta health authorities recorded 29 new measles cases in the southern part of the province on Friday (May 16). It is a daily increase greater than what the entire United States reported in a week. The big rise brings the total number of cases in Alberta to 438, most concentrated in southern areas. At a national level, Alberta is the second province with the highest number of cases after Ontario. The rate of infections in the province is particularly high among children aged under five to 17. According to Dr. James Talbot, the province’s former chief medical officer of health, children under five are most at risk of serious complications, especially babies aged six to 12 months. Talbot urged families to get their children vaccinated, citing the highly contagious nature of the disease.
In southern areas, where most cases have been found, multiple communities show vaccination rates below 50%, with those in the County of Forty Mile and the Municipality of Taber even below 40%. The low vaccination rates are due to vaccine hesitancy, anti-vaxxer sentiment, and a false sense of security. However, immunizations have significantly grown since the start of the outbreak, with over 6000 doses administered at the end of March.