Health officials urge immediate vaccination after person diagnosed with highly infectious measles

VANCOUVER – Health officials in Vancouver are urging people to get vaccinated today (Friday) against measles if there’s a chance they were exposed to the highly infectious disease diagnosed in a person who attended a large music festival and block party.

Six Fraser Health clinics are staying open until 7 p.m. Friday to accommodate people who think they may have crossed paths with the person infected with the disease: Abbotsford, Burnaby, Guildford, Maple Ridge, Tri-Cities, and White Rock.

Health authorities have said the unidentified British Columbia resident was at the Skookum Festival at Stanley Park last Saturday and it’s important for anyone who hasn’t had two doses of the measles, mumps and rubella vaccine to be vaccinated within a six-day window.

“If you were at any of the locations during the times listed below, and you have not been fully immunized with two doses of a measles vaccine (such as MMR), nor have had measles disease in the past, please contact your health care provider, public health unit or pharmacist to arrange for the vaccine today,” says Dr. Ingrid Tyler, medical health officer for Fraser Health. “After today, the vaccine will no longer be effective in protecting you from the festival exposure.”

RELATED: Measles warning issued in Vancouver following possible exposure

The infected person was diagnosed last night after developing symptoms including a fever, cough and rash on the face and chest.

Harding says the patient was confirmed to have had one dose of the vaccine, which provided about 95 per cent immunity, but two doses are needed to provide 99 per cent protection against measles.

He says the disease was common in Canada before 1970 and anyone exposed to it would be immune to it.

Harding says high immunization rates mean the number of measles cases in Canada should ideally be zero, but those diagnosed with the disease have typically travelled from other countries, though he wouldn’t say if that’s the situation with the infected patient.

A list of the specific locations and times, which range between Saturday and Tuesday, was released by the health authority. It says anyone who attended those locations at the specified times and who has not been fully immunized, nor had the disease in the past, should see a doctor immediately.

Locations where you could have been exposed

— Saturday, Sept. 8: Skookum Festival, Stanley Park, 5 p.m. to 1 a.m.

— Saturday, Sept. 8: Aquabus from Olympic Village to Hornby Street, approximate trip start was 3 p.m.

— Saturday, Sept. 8: Canada Line SkyTrain from Vancouver City Centre to Broadway-City Hall Station, 11 p.m. to 1 a.m.

— Sunday, Sept. 9: Outdoor Community Block Party at 1188 Quebec Street, 1 p.m. to 3 p.m.

— Sunday, Sept. 9: Main Street bus from Terminal Station to Broadway, 3 p.m. to 5 p.m.

— Tuesday, Sept. 11: Noodlebox Mount Pleasant (2511 Main Street), Noon to 6 p.m.

Fraser Health locations open until 7 p.m. Friday

— Abbotsford – #104 – 34194 Marshall Road

— Burnaby – #300 – 4946 Canada Way

— Guildford – #100 – 10233 – 153 Street

— Maple Ridge – #400 – 22470 Dewdney Trunk Road

— Tri-Cities – #200 – 205 Newport Drive

— White Rock – 15476 Vine Avenue