Measles vaccine eligibility expanded in high-risk areas of Manitoba

As the number of measles cases in Manitoba doubled over the last week, the province is lowering the age of vaccine eligibility for infants in high-risk areas, it announced Wednesday.

In its weekly update, the province announced 44 confirmed and four probable cases of measles in Manitoba, which includes data up to May 10. Last Wednesday’s case count, which included data up to May 3, listed 20 confirmed and four possible cases.

Manitoba is now expanding eligibility for the measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine to include infants at least six months old who are living in the Southern Health and Interlake-Eastern health regions, or live elsewhere but travel regularly to or are in close contact with people living there.

Typically, the first dose of the MMR vaccine is given to children when they turn one, Southern Health medical officer of health Dr. Davinder Singh said Wednesday.

Singh said infants who are immunized early would receive the same shot at 12 months.

The change comes “in response to what we’re seeing” in those regions and follows similar changes in other provinces like Ontario, Singh said.

“One of the groups of people that, if they got infected, would be at a significantly higher risk of a severe outcome is infants,” he said.

The most recent measles exposure sites reported to the province are in Boissevain, a small community in the Prairie Mountain Health region near the North Dakota border.

In a population of about 1,500 people, word travels fast, said Robert Dyck, one of the partners at building company Goodon Industries Ltd.

When they found out Tuesday the facility was one of four locations in Boissevain to have an exposure, they moved quickly.

“We did have a meeting with a public health nurse, she was in our in our office here all (Tuesday) afternoon, she met with everyone that was potentially exposed to the person in question,” he said.

Dyck said the nurse brought immunizations with her, and some staff were vaccinated on site. The company will keep an eye on exposure sites and go from there.

“I think it’s important that people be informed, I think I’ll leave it at that,” he said. “We all have our personal opinions, right?”

Other recent reported areas of exposure, all in Boissevain, are: Canada Post at 558 Broadway St., RBC Royal Bank at 388 South Railway St. and Sunrise Credit Union at 356 South Railyway St.

Details on exposure times and how long to monitor symptoms for those at the sites can be found on the province’s public health website.

Singh said public health continues “intense case and contact management” to hone in on exposures, which includes bringing in experts to provide information and offer easy access to immunization.

One dose of the measles vaccine is about 93 per cent effective in preventing measles, and two doses is 97 per cent effective, the doctor said.

Older Manitobans, including seniors, should check to make sure they were immunized as children. If they were immunized or have previously had measles, there is no need to get immunized again, Singh said.

People born before 1970 are presumed to be immune, because measles was spreading widely across Canada at that time and the vast majority have antibodies against measles.

“By far the most common thing that we’re seeing is disease in unimmunized kids. That’s by far the most affected group that we’re seeing,” Singh said. “Really, that’s the group where there needs to be a focus on increasing immunization for them.”

Last week, chief provincial public health officer Dr. Brent Roussin penned a letter to parents distributed through schools and daycares with information on measles symptoms and vaccinations.

“If you have not received a measles-containing vaccine and have not had measles before, it is very likely you will become infected if exposed,” Roussin said in the letter.

Early symptoms of measles can include a fever, cough, runny nose, watery eyes, and a red blotchy rash several days after the original symptoms.

Measles can cause serious health issues, including ear or lung infections. One in 1,000 people who get measles will get encephalitis, which can cause brain damage, deafness and seizures.

One in 12 infected children need hospitalization, and one in 10 require intensive care.

One to three of every 1,000 people with measles will die.

The province encourages anyone who has not been immunized for measles and have never had measles to contact their doctor.

malak.abas@freepress.mb.ca