Alberta\u2019s measles outbreaks have now eclipsed the 1,000-case mark and infectious disease\u00a0specialists are warning the virus is \u201cimpossible to contain,\u201d given the current level of transmission.<\/p>\n
The province reported another 24 cases on Friday, including 14 in the north zone, nine in the south and one in the Edmonton zone.<\/p>\n
This brings the total confirmed cases<\/a> since the outbreaks began in March\u00a0to 1,020.<\/p>\n \u201cIt is a very grim milestone,\u201d said Dr. Karina Top, a pediatric infectious disease physician at the Stollery Children\u2019s Hospital in Edmonton, which has been treating children with measles.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m very worried we\u2019re going to see more hospitalizations and some deaths soon because we know the death rate is about one to two per thousand. So it\u2019s likely that we\u2019re going to see that and that will be a very tragic day.\u201d<\/p>\n Measles is highly contagious and can lead to serious complications<\/a> including pneumonia, brain inflammation \u2014 which can trigger seizures, deafness and brain damage \u2014 as well as premature delivery.<\/p>\n A premature baby who was born with measles died in Ontario<\/a> recently. And another young child died of measles<\/a> in that province last year.<\/p>\n Doctors warn there are severe long-term consequences as well, including immune system impacts and a degenerative neurological condition that occurs seven to ten years after an initial measles infection. It is rare but nearly always fatal.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Alberta\u2019s measles outbreaks have now eclipsed the 1,000-case mark and infectious disease\u00a0specialists are warning the virus is \u201cimpossible to contain,\u201d given the current level of transmission.<\/p>\n The province reported another 24 cases on Friday, including 14 in the north zone, nine in the south and one in the Edmonton zone.<\/p>\n This brings the total confirmed cases<\/a> since the outbreaks began in March\u00a0to 1,020.<\/p>\n