VANCOUVER – British Columbia Premier David Eby says the growing spread of measles across Canada is “the sadly predictable outcome” of the “recklessness” of anti-vaccination politicians.

Eby says the disease is “no joke,” given the potentially serious impact on those infected, and it’s preventable with two vaccine shots.

He told a Vancouver news conference that the focus for provincial public health authorities now is to make sure that people who are not protected receive full vaccination.

The premier’s response comes after Fraser Health said this week that three residents in Chilliwack have been confirmed as being infected and all appear to have contracted the disease locally since they have not recently travelled.

Health authorities elsewhere in the province have also reported cases in Kamloops and the community of Wonowon in northeastern B.C., northwest of Fort St. John.