Seven cases of measles confirmed in Halifax, risk remains low: health official
Posted Feb 23, 2017 05:16:36 PM.
This article is more than 5 years old.
HALIFAX – Health officials have confirmed four more cases of the measles in the Halifax area, bringing the total of known cases in Nova Scotia to seven.
The Nova Scotia Health Authority first notified the public last week about three people who had become infected, saying it was the first time in nine years that the highly contagious infection had been reported.
The medical officer of health, Dr. Trevor Arnason, says all of the current cases involve young adults.
Arnason says it’s not surprising that more cases have been found given how contagious the virus is, but he says it’s a positive sign that the overall number remains low.
He says the risk to the general public remains low and most people are protected by being vaccinated.
The authority notes people born in the 1970s to early 1990s may have received only one dose of measles-mumps-rubella vaccine in childhood and are eligible for a second dose of the vaccine at no cost through a publicly funded immunization program.
