New measles exposure at Fort St. John Hospital identified

FORT ST. JOHN, B.C. — Northern Health is reporting a new potential measles exposure incident at the Fort St. John Hospital.

According to a Facebook post from the health authority, people in the Fort St. John Hospital’s emergency department on Monday, August 18th from 1:50 p.m. to 4:20 p.m. may have been exposed to the virus.

People who were potentially exposed are urged to stay at home and monitor for symptoms, which can include a fever; cough; runny nose; red, inflamed eyes that are light-sensitive; and a rash which typically appears on the face and neck before spreading to the chest, arms and legs.

Measles is an extremely serious disease; the BC Centre for Disease Control (BCCDC) says one in 10 people who contract the virus are hospitalized, and it can lead to other health complications like pneumonia and, in some cases, death.

Anyone who experiences these symptoms can contact their primary care provider in order to book a measles test.

This comes after the BCCDC reported eight new cases of the virus in Northern Health’s coverage area during its most recent case count update on Monday, August 18th, amid an outbreak of nearly 200 cases across the province so far this year. 

Only one case — located within the Northern Health region — is currently considered ‘active.’