Alberta now has more measles than all of the United States

Alberta records more confirmed cases of measles than all of the United States, according to the latest government data.

Alberta currently lists 1314 cases of measles, says the province, while the United States has recorded 1288 confirmed cases dated July 8, according to the centers for the control and prevention of diseases (CDC).

When I look at the figures, it hurts mesays Dr. Sam Wong, president of the pediatrics section of the Alberta medical association, in an interview with CBC.

If we had acted earlier and took the situation more seriously, we would probably not see the number of cases of a single province exceed that of the United States, which however count 10 times more inhabitants than Canada.

Since the start of hatching, several albertan rural communities where vaccination has been low. The virus is now spreading to urban centers.

There are still urban pockets where vaccination coverage is low. If the virus enters, we will see the figures explodesays Dr. Wong.

Eight new cases were also reported last Friday in the Calgary region. If no formal link has yet been established with the Stampede, experts do not exclude a potential impact.

It may still be a bit early to confirm a direct linkspecifies Dr. Wong.

But if we observe a sharp increase in the coming weeks, it can hardly be ruled out.

According to provincial data, two people are currently hospitalized, including one in intensive care.

For comparison, CDC signal 162 hospitalizations in the United States, where 3 people have died since the start of the year. Alberta, on the other hand, has not pointed out any death to date, although a little more than 100 hospitalizations have been recorded since the start of the hatch.

Dr. Lynora Saxinger, infectiologist at the University of Alberta, judges that the level of transmission is worrying:This virus was supposed to be eradicated. Today, there is a huge level of propagation. She points out that, even in better vaccinated urban areas, the virus continues to circulate.

If an unprotected person is exposed, there are approximately 90 % risks that they contract the disease.

She urges the Alberta government to react without delay by setting up mass vaccination clinics and targeting school -aged children before the start of the school year.

We can no longer continue to run after the virus. You have to go faster than him.

Health professionals require a more structured response.

It also recommends that the vaccine dose administered preventively to infants in certain regions to be offered to the entire province.

For its part, Dr. Wong deplores limited access to vaccination in pediatric hospitals.

In addition, Dr. Craig Jenne, professor of immunology and infectious diseases at the University of Calgary, believes that the possibility that Alberta exceeds the United States was predictable.

It was quite clear that we were going to attend growth, unfortunately, for several weeks, even several months. The spread is very fast here. And we have not yet noticed any significant slowdown, unlike other provinceshe told the Canadian press.

He adds that, if the situation persists, Canada could lose its status of eradication of measles, recognized since 1998.

With information from Jennifer Lee and the Canadian Press