SAINT JOHN, N.B. -- A major sporting event this weekend in New Brunswick involving about 2,500 young athletes has public health officials urging participants to ensure their measles immunization is up to date.
The 2019 East Coast Games are being held in the Saint John area, which has had 12 confirmed cases of measles recently.
No new cases have been reported since the start of June, but New Brunswick's deputy chief medical officer of health has sent a memo to doctors asking them to ensure that any of their patients travelling to the games are immunized.
In the June 10 memo, Dr. Cristin Muecke says immunization is the best way to prevent the spread of measles and improve immunity.
She says school-aged children, adolescents and adults born since 1970, who are participating in the games should have received two doses of the vaccine.
Health officials have said they need 40 days without any new cases of measles to consider the outbreak over.
The East Coast Games attract athletes and volunteers from Atlantic Canada, Quebec and New England in 15 sports.
