Updated with reaction from parent.
Alberta Health Services has confirmed measles exposure at a daycare in St. Albert is believed to have started with a child who had been travelling.
On Thursday, health officials sent a letter to parents and daycare staff at the Kids and Company St. Albert Grandin daycare warning that people at the daycare on Jan. 29 may have been exposed to measles.
“In the coming days, staff from Alberta Health Services Public Health will be in contact with all staff and all families from Kids and Company St. Albert Grandin to provide additional information and direction,” the letter reads.
Dr. Grazia Salvo, medical health officer for the Edmonton zone, told the Gazette the case is travel-related.
“This was travel acquired, and when (the child) came back they had symptoms that were consistent with measles,” she said.
Salvo said she wasn’t able to comment on how many people may have been exposed at the daycare, but those who may have been affected will receive a phone call from health officials.
“We’ve been contacting them personally via phone numbers to let them know that they’ve been exposed, to let them know what symptoms they need to look out for, and if they qualify within the time period we are offering that preventative medication.”
She said she wasn’t able to confirm whether or not the child had received the measles vaccine.
“It was shocking”
Heather Konkin, whose three-year-old daughter attends the daycare, said she answered a call from AHS yesterday afternoon. Her daughter was at the daycare on Jan. 29, and health officials were calling to let her know she may have been exposed to the virus.
“She’s only three, so she’s only had one of the vaccines because the second one comes when she’s between four and six,” Konkin said.
Health officials told Konkin her daughter is at risk, and instructed her not to take her daughter to daycare but to stay at home with her instead. She said she was told by another friend who was at the daycare they had received a call as well.
“I was shocked to think that she may have been in contact with it – it’s not something you really expect to happen,” she said. “(Colds) are like a rite of passage with kids, but (measles) never crossed my mind.”
Konkin said her daughter is doing fine, and she’s being extra cautious to monitor any potential symptoms. Health officials gave her a specific time to bring in her daughter to a clinic for a test, she said, with results expected in the next couple days.
“I’m pretty confident with AHS’s process,” she said. “The amount of planning and protocols that are in place when things like this happen are usually pretty tight and locked down. The people behind the scenes know what they’re doing.”
Lorissa Zollinger, area manager for Kids and Company daycare, said they are working closely with AHS officials to monitor potential symptoms.
"Everybody needs to follow the recommendations set out by AHS, follow their lead, and be mindful of any signs or symptoms," Zollinger said.
Symptoms
Measles is a highly contagious viral infection that is easily spread through the air by sneezing and coughing, and by direct contact with someone who is infected.
Symptoms of measles include a fever of 38.3 C or higher, a cough, runny nose or red eyes, and a red rash that appears three to seven days after fever starts.
“Whenever physicians see children with these symptoms, that’s when it usually clicks that it might be measles,” Salvo said. “The symptoms are not specific to that disease because there are a lot of viral rashes that do go around, but with the travel history, that’s when they decide to test for measles.”
Salvo said this is the first case of measles this year in Alberta.
“We actually don’t see much transmission within Alberta, unless it happens in a community where they’re not vaccinating for a certain reason. Usually we’ll see cases like this where they’re travel-acquired, and more often than not these travel-acquired cases don’t spread very widely because we have such a high immunization rate in our population.”
The virus can survive two hours after the contagious person has left the space, AHS said. Symptoms can appear within five to 21 days of being exposed.
On Thursday, AHS released the following list of dates and locations where people may have been exposed to the infectious illness in St. Albert and Edmonton:
- Jan 31: Real Canadian Superstore (101 St. Albert Trail) from 2 to 5 p.m.;
- Jan 31: Chapters (445 St. Albert Trail) from 3:15 to 6 p.m.
- Feb. 2: Mercato (120 Bellerose Drive) from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
- Feb. 3: University of Alberta Hospital, main floor (8440 112 Street NW, Edmonton) from 5:30 to 9:30 p.m.
- At the gift shop, information desk and immediate surrounding area; main cafeteria; north elevators across from the info desk and the surrounding area including public washrooms; east hospital entrance, 112 street and foyer area including escalators; main hallway from the 112 street entrance through to the Stollery and adult emergency rooms; main floor area around the McMullen Gallery
- Stollery Children's Hospital, emergency department, from 5:30 to 9:30 p.m.
Individuals who were exposed on Feb. 2 and Feb. 3 in the locations and timeframes noted, and who have either no history of receiving any measles-containing vaccine, or who are pregnant, immune compromised or under one year of age, are advised to call Health Link at 811.
Those who were exposed on dates before Feb. 1 are no longer eligible for preventative vaccine, however, they are still encouraged to review their immunization history, and call Health Link at 811 for advice.
To test for a potential case, physicians give the patient a nasopharyngeal swab to collect samples from the back of the nose and upper throat. The samples are then sent to the lab for testing.
“That’s how this one was found, and that’s why we’re asking people who might’ve been exposed to look out for those symptoms,” Salvo said. At this point, she said no other people have been tested for measles.
If someone does become symptomatic, they are advised to self-isolate and call the Health Link hotline at 811.
Anyone who is going travelling should look at their vaccination history to ensure they’ve received the vaccine, and check health advisories online for different countries to see the level of potential measles exposure before travelling, Salvo said.
“Not all countries are as lucky as Canada to have such a strong immunization program,” Salvo said. “We know when you have two doses of the MMR vaccine, it’s nearly 100 per cent effective. Not all countries have those resources.”
Infants six months of age to less than 12 months of age are eligible to receive an early dose of the measles-containing vaccine. Children in Alberta typically receive their first dose of measles vaccine at 12 months of age, and their second dose between the ages of four and six years. Adults born in 1970 or later should also check to see if they have gotten two doses – getting just one can put the individual partially at risk.
