If measles continues to spread, there may be pressure on rural hospitals: Doctor

According to a Neepawa family physician, if the measles outbreak continues to get worse, rural health-care facilities in southwestern Manitoba will not have the capacity to house all the sick.

“These diseases are very contagious and spread through the air,” said Dr. Nicole Desilets, “I don’t know about every facility, but my hospital certainly doesn’t have enough space to quarantine and isolate people who are feeling unwell.”

More than 30 new cases of measles have been directly traced to Ag Days, a three-day indoor farm show held in Brandon in mid-January, including 12 confirmed cases in a single day on Feb. 9.

Desilets says he never saw measles firsthand until recently, but learned about it in medical school.

“This year I and many of my colleagues can say we have seen measles, which is not necessarily a good thing,” said Desilets, who is also president of Doctors Manitoba.

And now, the health care system is trying to accommodate a “very infectious disease,” he said.

“We believe the incubation period is a few days before you develop your first symptoms: fever, runny nose, itchy eyes, sore throat, swollen lymph nodes,” Desilets said.

“And then, usually, a spotty rash starts on the head and moves down the body. You are considered contagious up to four days after the rash appears.”

A spokesperson for Prairie Mountain Health told CBC there have been “very few hospitalizations” within the region, and all staff have been advised to make sure their measles vaccinations are up to date.

Brandon Regional Health Center’s emergency department waiting room is one of 27 exposure sites in Wheat City. That’s more than any other city or community in the province, including Winnipeg, Winkler and Carman, according to the Manitoba Public Health website.

Dr. Brent Roussin, Manitoba’s chief provincial public health officer, said he expects case numbers from AG Days to continue to rise, and that’s why he’s expanding vaccine eligibility to the Prairie Mountain and Southern health regions.

“Children ages six months to one year old are eligible for a dose of measles vaccine,” Roussin said during a news conference Thursday.

“We know there is spread. We can focus on those who are eligible for the vaccine and the more we protect those people, the more we can protect those who have not yet received the vaccine.”

Brandon daycare operator Marianne Thiessen, who has more than 50 children in her care, says there have been no cases of measles so far at her facility, BU Early Learning Center.

The COVID-19 experience, and parents keeping their kids’ shots up to date, explain why, she says.

“I think COVID has taught us a lot. We’ve been through it and, OK, here’s another disease that could potentially be life-threatening for some people and not for others,” Thiessen said.

“And our families have stepped up, so we really appreciate those families who have been able to prioritize vaccination.”

If a child gets measles, BU protocol says he or she must stay away from daycare for 10 days.

Thiessen says he expects these protocols will change as more cases emerge.

“If it’s in the community, especially in places where we’re eating and being physically active, chances are it’s going to spread like wildfire,” she said.

January’s Ag Days attracted approximately 35,000 people to the Keystone Center, along with approximately 600 exhibitors.

Sharing the same airspace with someone who has measles “poses a risk of infection,” Roussin said.

But the province has no intention of imposing restrictions or guidelines for large gatherings.

The next big event for Brandon is the Royal Manitoba Winter Fair, scheduled for March 30 to April 4, which is expected to draw more than 40,000 people, according to fair president Tim Rowan.

“Measles is on our radar,” Rowan said, “Safety is important and we’re taking it as seriously as we can. But on the other hand, we’re not ringing any alarm bells.”