No new cases of measles have been detected in NS since the first infection was reported on Friday

No new cases of measles have been detected in Nova Scotia since the Nova Scotia Department of Health issued an exposure warning after the case was detected on Friday.

health authorities issued a multiple exposure warning on Friday After a confirmed case of measles was detected in Halifax Municipality.

Possible locations of exposure were Bedford, Lower Sackville and Halifax.

Measles symptoms can develop as early as 8 days and as late as 21 days after exposure.

Symptoms include fever, cough, runny nose, red eyes, a blemish-like rash on the face that can spread over the body, and small white patches inside the mouth and throat.

Although the majority recover in a few weeks, measles can cause serious complications among high-risk groups.

A notice has been issued to health care providers to raise awareness of measles, even though no new cases have been reported, according to Dr Christine Mücke, community health physician for the Northern Region.

In a CBC video call, Muecke said authorities would be watching closely to make sure there are no new cases in the coming weeks.

That conversation has been condensed and edited for clarity and length.

Have you received many calls from people in vulnerable groups who are concerned that they may have been exposed to measles?

We have approached public notice in several different ways.

We published a public service announcement detailing the date and time of the exposure, so you can catch people that way.

We are also working hard internally through a list of potentially high-risk individuals that we have received.

For example, if we identify a family with an infant under the age of 12 who may be pregnant, we contact them directly by phone and have a dedicated phone line. likewise.

Is measles as easy to catch as COVID-19?

Measles is actually one of the most contagious diseases we know of and is highly contagious.

The good news, however, is that the risk to the general public is very low.

Almost all Nova Scotians were vaccinated against measles as a child, but it’s usually not endemic in our state. And when it does appear, it tends to be a single case that appears as a result of travel from outside Canada.

Therefore, the majority of people are well protected.

However, when there is an exposure due to the contagious nature of the disease, we take it very seriously and make a lot of effort to follow up with the individual.

In some cases, if people can be caught within a reasonable time frame, they may offer additional protection through vaccination or something called immunoglobulins.

Also, seek out anyone who may have been exposed and have them closely monitor their symptoms.

If an individual develops signs or symptoms and has been at one of the exposure areas, please call 811 Public Health immediately.

If they are really feeling unwell, being able to call ahead before going to their health care provider can ensure that proper infection control measures are in place.

Did you say that most Nova Scotians are vaccinated against measles, and since the 1970s most have been vaccinated twice? What was it like before the 1970s? Will the dose protect me for life?

For individuals born before 1970, it is generally believed that most of these people are naturally immune, as measles was widespread in Canadian communities at the time.

They may have been exposed or infected through community exposure rather than vaccination

Those born in the 70’s, 80’s and early 90’s usually received one dose, and since then many efforts have been made to catch up with those people on the second dose.

Probably since the mid-1990s, everyone has been vaccinated twice as a child.

So is it different than COVID-19 with booster doses that we are all familiar with at this point?

Two doses of measles, mumps, and rubella vaccine are considered protected.

For example, for vulnerable people, immunocompromised people, and other groups, what are the risks of measles to them?

We are particularly interested in people who may be immunocompromised, taking immunosuppressive medications, pregnant women, and young children.

There can be quite a number of potential complications of measles, including one as serious as encephalitis, an inflammation of the brain. can cause

That’s definitely something we try to avoid in our community and is actually very rare

What else should I know about measles?

Although very rare, vaccinated individuals, usually with partial vaccination, can develop measles if they have a significant amount of exposure.

And the reason I mentioned it is because when those people develop symptoms they are milder and the rash is less extensive. If they develop symptoms or a partial rash.