The New Brunswick government announced Tuesday the end of the measles outbreak in the Fredericton region and the Haut-Saint-Jean valley.
This measles outbreak was declared on November 1, following the discovery of a first confirmed case. It was a traveler who contracted the disease after staying abroad.
A total of 50 cases have been detected, the last one dating back to November 26.
In a press release, the province specifies that during the outbreak, authorities contacted 266 people as part of contact tracing
.
Low vaccination rate
This measles outbreak in New Brunswick can be explained in particular by a low vaccination rate among the population.
In 2023, 85.8% of New Brunswickers over the age of 18 were vaccinated against measles.
According to data from the New Brunswick Department of Health, almost 92% of students who entered school in 2022-2023 were vaccinated against measles.
However, according to health authorities, a vaccination coverage rate of 95% must be achieved to limit the spread of the virus.
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Dr. Yves Léger, Acting Chief Medical Officer of Health for New Brunswick.
Photo: - / Pascal Raiche-Nogue
The interim chief medical officer of health, Dr. Yves Léger, says that This situation reminds us that diseases present elsewhere in the world can quickly strike here, and that it is important to ensure that our vaccinations are up to date.
Since the first cases of measles in the south and west of the province, public health has set up 30 special vaccination clinics. A total of 239 people were vaccinated at these facilities.
The measles virus is transmitted through the air or by direct contact with an infected person.
Measles can be more serious in adults and infants, and it can cause complications.
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