The measles outbreak in the Saint John area has spread to Hampton High School.
New Brunswick’s chief medical officer of health confirmed the latest case Saturday morning.
Dr. Jennifer Russell said anyone who was at the school on Thursday or Friday may have been exposed.
Russell said a special immunization clinic is being set up for those in the school community.
“A protective dose of the vaccine is the best way to protect people who have been exposed to measles within 72 hours — regardless of their previous vaccine history,” said Russell.
Russell said the latest case is directly linked to one of the previous confirmed cases at Kennebecasis Valley High School in Quispamsis.
There have now been 12 confirmed cases in the Saint John area since mid-April.
Russell said it is her understanding anyone who may have been exposed to the latest case has been contacted directly. She would not say if that includes people who attended a climate change panel at the school on Friday.
!! FEATURED NEWS !!
Investigation into potential measles case underway https://t.co/jTlery3ybq— N.B. Dept. of Health (@NBHealth) June 1, 2019
Russell said she knows people are concerned but adds only people who came into direct contact with the person are at risk.
“So when people say ‘we need a clinic for the public’, no, actually we don’t,” she said. “We need to protect our vaccine doses for those individuals that we know came into contact with a case.”
On Friday, the province’s chief medical officer of health announced people who used Vet’s Taxi in Saint John during certain times last week may have been exposed to the highly contagious disease.
Health Canada says symptoms of the highly contagious respiratory disease usually begin seven to 18 days after infection.
Early symptoms may include fever, cough, sore and/or red eyes, runny nose or tiny white spots in the mouth. Within three to seven days, a red blotchy rash will appear, first on the face and then spreading to the body, arms and legs.
Russell said anyone who develops these symptoms should stay at home and call Tele-Care 811 to find out what to do next.
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