Alberta Health Services wants you to take note if you were in the Banff area on a few dates at the end of May.

Over the weekend a lab-confirmed case of measles was reported to AHS, and they want to make the public aware.

Dr. Judy MacDonald, Medical Officer of Health for the Calgary Zone, shares the adult male who contracted the disease lives and works in Banff. "We don't know where this individual might have picked up measles because there is no travel history or no known sick contacts, but we do know that measles is present in the world and people travel especially in the Banff area with lots of travellers and visitors for other countries, so it is possible where the individual was exposed."

It is hard to predict whether this will be an isolated case or not, says Dr. MacDonald as measles is one of the most communicable of the infectious diseases. "It can spread very readily from one person to another just through the air; it is an airborne virus."

If you were in the area in the specified timeline (listed below), born after 1970, have NOT had measles or received two doses of vaccine, you may be at risk. It is also important to note that the incubation period for measles could be anywhere from 7 days to 21 days after first exposure.

OK Gift Shop - 209 Banff Avenue, Banff, AB 

  • Friday May 25, 2018 between 1:45 p.m. and store closing.
  • Saturday May 26, 2018 between 1:45 p.m. and store closing.

IGA - 318 Marten Street, Banff, AB 

  • ·Wednesday May 30, 2018 between 5 p.m. and 7:15 p.m.

Dr. MacDonald says if you have met all the specifications you may want to note the symptoms related to the disease. "Symptoms start in the way similar to a cold, so developing usually a high fever 38 Celsius or higher, a dry cough, runny nose, red eyes, those are all the first symptoms. Then that is followed a few days later by a red rash that usually starts on the head usually behind the ears and spreads."

Reported and confirmed cases are luckily still quite rare, shares Dr. MacDonald, with the last reported measles case in the Calgary region being at the end of January 2018.

Dr. MacDonald can't stress enough the best way to prevent the disease is through vaccination. "Measles is a vaccine-preventable disease. In our routine we have a measles vaccination schedule we recommend it at 12 months of age and also again at preschool. But if you were born in 1970 or later and if they haven't had the measles vaccine, they should be looking at getting it to protect themselves. We do recommend anyone born after 1970 or later, two measles-containing vaccines, and we do immunize our children."

If you are unsure of your immunization history, you can check in with Health Link at 811 or your local public health clinic. "That way you can be prepared and prevent measles at the same time."