A dose of the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccination awaits the next patient during a vaccine clinic at Southwestern Public Health in St. Thomas, Ont. on Tuesday, March 4, 2025. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Geoff Robins

VICTORIA — Ten people are hospitalized with measles in British Columbia, with one active, contagious case as of July 8, the province's health ministry said.

It said the infections are among 102 confirmed cases this year, with most involving people who were not fully immunized.

Deputy Provincial Health Officer Dr. Martin Lavoie said in an update on Thursday that cases are mostly centred in northern B.C., with the Northern Health authority reporting 71 infections so far this year.

Lavoie said the highly contagious disease started spreading "broadly" at the end of May, and has since found "pockets of un-immunized people" in northern B.C. and elsewhere.

“So we don’t know exactly what will occur, because we are really trying to curb the spread as much as possible, but it will run its course, unfortunately, more than likely in that group of people,” he said.

“(Once) you have a case, it tends to expose others very quickly and many are susceptible.”

Lavoie said the province had taken steps to identify those unimmunized communities, adding that his office highly recommended immunization, which he said was safe and effective.

He said B.C.'s immunization rate of about 84 per cent was quite good but not perfect, while B.C. Health Minister Josie Osborne said getting immunized is the best thing B.C. residents can do to protect themselves and others.

The update comes after people who attended a prenatal clinic in Fort St. John, B.C., were told this week that they may have been exposed to measles, with Northern Health saying up to 20 patients were exposed.

The tally of B.C. measles cases was up slightly from Monday, when the B.C. Centre for Disease Control reported 99 infections.

Six of the 10 confirmed hospitalization cases in B.C. are located in Northern Health, with one in each of the four other health regions.

B.C. released its latest case figures one day after Alberta had reported 1,230 infections since March.

While Ontario has reported the highest absolute number of cases with 2,244 confirmed infections since October, Alberta leads not only Canada, but also North America on a per-capita basis.

Lavoie said his office isn't concerned that B.C. could be facing a similar situation.

"So we are very close to Alberta, of course, so they could be a source (of measles) for us as people travel back and forth," he said.

"We think our coverage rates are actually not in a bad place. I said they were good, not perfect, so I would doubt we would see something that big."

Lavoie also acknowledged the high case count in Ontario in urging British Columbians to protect themselves.

Ontario reported last Thursday that an eighth infant had been born with congenital measles since the outbreak began last fall.

Infants can contract congenital measles in the womb through their mothers who are not vaccinated, resulting in severe complications, including inflammation of the brain and death.

The latest data in Ontario shows 48 pregnant people have been infected with measles, and Ontario's chief medical officer Dr. Kieran Moore announced in early June that an infant born prematurely and infected with measles died in southwestern Ontario.

Dr. Jennifer Vines, public health physician at the BC Centre for Disease Control, said during Thursday's update that B.C. has not yet seen such a case.

"But we are preparing for it by engaging pregnancy experts to prepare for everything we need to know on how to manage measles in pregnancy … so we can be prepared for this unfortunate possibility," Vines said.

Vines said the Ontario congenital cases reinforce the importance of everybody getting vaccinated, "but in particular, anyone who is pregnant, who knows they are susceptible to measles, getting quick follow up if they think, they have had a measles exposure, or seeking advice right away from their pregnancy provider."

Lavoie said people who are pregnant and infants, including children less than 12 months old are at risk of being infected with measles. Pregnant women and young children under the age of five also fall among the groups with a higher risk of complications and death.

— With files from Hannah Alberga in Toronto

This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 10, 2025.

News from © The Canadian Press, 2025