Skip to content

UPDATE: Public heath advisory issued after passenger with measles flew to Inuvik

1102hosH
NNSL photo The Inuvik Regional Hospital.

The acting chief public health officer has issued an update to the measles public health advisory released on Friday.

The laboratory-confirmed case of measles involved an individual who travelled to Inuvik from an international destination by airplane.

The Department of Health and Social Services is now warning anyone who visited the following locations during the specified times may have been exposed to the disease.

Feb. 13, 2019 from 6:00 a.m.–9:45 a.m. - Edmonton International Airport
Feb. 13, 2019 10:30 a.m.–1:15 p.m. - Canadian North flight 5T-444 from Edmonton to Inuvik, with stops in Yellowknife & Norman Wells
Feb. 13, 2019 from 1:15 p.m.–3:30 p.m. - Inuvik Mike Zubko Airport
Feb. 13, 2019 from 1:55 p.m.–3:15 p.m. - Canadian North flight 5T-445 from Inuvik to Edmonton, with stops in Norman Wells and Yellowknife
Feb. 16, 2019 from 11:00 a.m.–3:00 p.m. - Inuvik Regional Hospital, Emergency Department and X-ray Department
Feb. 17, 2019 from 12:00 p.m.–3:30 p.m. - Inuvik Regional Hospital, Emergency Department
Feb. 18, 2019 from 10:30 a.m.–2:00 p.m. - Inuvik Regional Hospital, Emergency Department
Feb. 19, 2019 from 12:30 p.m.–2:30 p.m. - Inuvik Regional Hospital, Laboratory

NNSL photo
The Inuvik Regional Hospital.

Residents who travelled to any of the above locations should watch for the following symptoms: fever, runny nose, dry cough, inflamed eyes, tiny white spots with bluish-white centres on a red background that appear inside the mouth on the cheek and/or a skin rash showing large, flat blotches that often flow into one another.

If you are showing symptoms, it is advised you stay at home and contact your healthcare provider.

"People born before 1970, who have received two doses of measles-containing vaccine or
who had measles are immune," the public health advisory states. "Exposed individuals who are not immune may prevent illness if they receive measles-containing vaccine within three days of exposure. Any non-immune individuals who are exposed to measles should immediately contact their community health centre or health-care practitioner to review their option of receiving the vaccine."

Measles is a highly infectious disease spread through indoor air.

It can be dangerous for infants, pregnant women and people with weakened immune systems.

The best way to prevent measles is to get vaccinated.