BC health authorities confirm new measles case in the Lower Mainland

Health authorities in British Columbia say a new case of measles has been confirmed in the Lower Mainland in a resident who travelled to Southeast Asia.

A joint statement from Fraser Health and Vancouver Coastal Health says the infection was acquired by a Fraser Health resident and that public health officials are following up directly with anyone known to have been exposed to the virus.

The statement says members of the public may have been exposed to measles if they were on Air Canada flight 66, arriving in Vancouver on Feb. 11, or if they spent time in the international arrivals area at Vancouver's airport, including customs or baggage claim, from 7 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. that day.

Officials say most people in Canada will be immune to measles due to prior immunization or natural infection but that anyone who does not have that protection and may have been exposed should get a free booster dose of the measles vaccine.

The statement says certain people, including babies less than six months of age, pregnant people, and people with certain immune conditions, should not get the vaccine and should contact their public health officials about possible medication.

Measles is a highly infectious disease transmitted by airborne spread and numbers from the federal government show 44 new cases have been reported in Canada this year as of Feb. 1, all in Ontario and Quebec.