There is a scramble to immunize inmates and staff at one of the Maritimes’ largest jails after a confirmed case of measles in a former inmate.
The highly infectious virus was confirmed in the inmate on Sunday. He's since been released and is recovering, but now everyone who came in contact with him is being screened. Around 125 inmates and staff at the Central Nova Scotia Correctional Facility in Burnside have received vaccinations so far.
“Some staff are easier to locate,” says Nova Scotia Chief Medical Officer of Health Dr. Robert Strang. “Inmates may have been released, may still be in that facility or another facility, plus the volunteers and visitors.”
Until this year, the last reported case of measles in Nova Scotia was in 2008, but infections have been turning up in the province since January.
Symptoms of the infection include fever, a runny nose, a cough and red, watery eyes. Small white spots also appear inside the mouth, and there is the appearance of a red rash, which spreads out from the face and neck.
For the vast majority of people, measles is like bad case of the flu. But for pregnant women, infants and those with weakened immune systems, measles can be serious. The infection can cause serious complications, including an inflammation of the brain.
One in every 3,000 cases of measles results in death.
"So even one case of measles puts us on alert,” says Dr. Strang.
Strang says 200 inmates and staff members were screened Sunday, and 125 received the measles vaccine. Public Health officials were also back at the jail on Monday.
Despite nearly two dozen cases, Strang insists the risk to the public is low because all of the cases have been traced to sources. If something changes, he says Public Health will re-evaluate its strategy.
With files from CTV Atlantic’s Bruce Frisko
