Recent measles outbreaks outside of the province have prompted health officials in Alberta to encourage parents to take measures to ensure their children are protected against the disease.

Eight confirmed cases of measles at two schools in Vancouver follows several outbreaks in the United States and abroad.

“There’s not just the outbreak happening in Vancouver, there’s a larger outbreak in Washington state where there have been more than 60 cases and across Europe there have been thousands of cases of measles reported,” said Dr. Jia Hu, Alberta Health Services’ medical officer of health for the Calgary zone. “Given the fact that in these days people travel a lot, we’re very worried that it might come to Alberta.”

There have been no confirmed cases of measles in Calgary in 2019 but Alberta Health Service says people need to protect themselves and their loved ones against the highly contagious, infectious disease.

“The fact that we’re seeing an increase in measles is symptomatic of the fact that people aren’t getting their kids vaccinated,” explained Hu.

AHS says the measles vaccine is highly effective and safe. Children normally receive their first dose at the age of one and a second dose between the ages of four and six.

“You’re protecting your child and the children around you from a disease that has pretty serious complications.”

Initial symptoms of measles include high fever and rash but can escalate to pneumonia and swelling of the brain and can prove deadly.

The most recent statistics from AHS are from 2017 and indicate that 87 per cent of children in Alberta had received their first measles vaccine by the age of two and 79 per cent had received their second shot by the age of seven.

AHS says adults who spent their formative years in Alberta do not require an additional vaccine but adults who relocated to Alberta from outside the province may require a booster and should consult their physician.

The Calgary Board of Education and Calgary Catholic School Division do not require proof of vaccination at the time of registration and both school board would follow the direction of AHS should a risk of exposure to measles become apparent.

There were six confirmed cases of measles in Calgary in 2018.

For additional information regarding the disease, visit Alberta Health Services – Measles Disease: Q & A

With files from CTV’s Ina Sidhu