Alberta in the midst of worst measles outbreak since 1997 as doctors call for action

Alberta's measles outbreak is now the worst recorded in nearly three decades and that has health experts raising the alarm and renewing calls for stronger messaging from the provincial government.

The surge is so concerning, Alberta's former chief medical officer of health, Dr. Mark Joffe, who left his post less than two weeks ago, is speaking out and describing measles as a "horrid illness."

With 129 cases confirmed as of midday Thursday, the case counts so far this year have already surpassed the most recent high in the year 2000, when 123 cases were reported.

The previous major peak was in 1997, when there were 242 cases. In most other years, in the decades after widespread measles vaccination was introduced, only a handful of cases have been reported.

"Working in a hospital and seeing sick kids — when you see something that is preventable — it's just a shame to have a child come in and suffer from that," said Dr. Sidd Thakore, a pediatrician working at Alberta Children's Hospital in Calgary.

"We're seeing the end result of vaccination rates dropping." 

In Edmonton, Dr. Joan Robinson calls Alberta's measles situation "alarming."

"We have failed in our mission to get this outbreak under control," said Robinson, the director of the pediatric infectious diseases division at the University of Alberta.

"With that many cases it is, I think, impossible that we can shut this all down without there being significant further spread."

In an opinion piece, published Thursday in the Calgary Herald, Joffe wrote at length about the dangers of measles.

"Alberta's current outbreak of measles, affecting mostly children, should concern us all," he said, noting that between 10 and 20 per cent of people infected will require hospital admission.

"Measles is a horrid illness. It is much more severe than most childhood infections. While most people recover, some don't."

Measles can lead to serious complications, including pneumonia, brain swelling and even death.

This marks the first time Albertans have heard from Joffe since he left the interim CMOH position earlier this month when his contract ended. The Premier noted at the time that the government wanted him to stay on as chief medical officer of health.