The first case of measles in the Interior this year has been confirmed by Interior Health.听
People who visited one of five businesses in Kamloops on June 16 and June 18 may have been exposed to measles, IH said Tuesday.听
鈥淚nterior Health is following up directly with individuals who are known to have been exposed to the case as part of normal contact tracing. The risk to the broader public is considered low,鈥 according to an IH release.听
While this is the first case of measles in the IH region this year, there are other cases around the province. Measles is a highly infectious disease transmitted by airborne spread. Most people in Canada will be immune to measles due to prior immunization or previous infection, IH says.听
Individuals exposed to the measles virus should monitor for symptoms that may develop up to three weeks after being exposed. These include fever, dry cough, runny nose and red eyes, followed a few days later by a rash that usually starts on the face and then spreads rapidly over the rest of the body.听
The Kamloops businesses where people may have been exposed are: Denny鈥檚 Restaurant, June 16, between noon and 3 p.m.; Aberdeen Mall, June 16, between 1 p.m. and 4 p.m.; Earl鈥檚 Restaurant, June 16, between 6:30 p.m. and midnight; Shoppers Drug Mart on Summit Drive, June 16, between 9:30 a.m. and noon; and Castles and Cottages, June 18, between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m.听
For a full list of exposure locations across B.C., see the BC Centre for Disease Control website.听
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