As measles cases soar in Alberta, doctors warn low vaccination rates could trigger a resurgence of polio, whooping cough, and other preventable diseases.
Measles Outbreak Grows Amid Lowest Vaccine Rates in Years
Alberta is experiencing its worst measles outbreak in nearly 50 years, with 879 confirmed cases as of Friday, June 14, igniting fears among public health experts of a broader public health crisis. The province’s declining childhood immunization rates have left thousands vulnerable, raising the risk of resurgence in other vaccine-preventable diseases like polio, pertussis, and mumps.
Vaccine Gaps Put Alberta at Risk for Historic Diseases
Experts say measles is just the beginning, warning that Alberta’s vaccine coverage has dropped well below herd immunity levels for several illnesses. In 2024, only 68.1% of two-year-olds had received both measles doses, far below the 95% threshold needed to contain the virus. Similar drops in polio and pertussis vaccine uptake have alarmed doctors across the province.
Medical Experts Warn of Polio Resurgence
Physicians like Dr. Stephanie Smith and Dr. Craig Jenne are sounding alarms about polio, a virus that was declared eliminated in Canada in 1994. “There’s no reason why iron lungs couldn’t return if polio re-establishes here,” Jenne warned. In High Level, only 13.4% of two-year-olds had the required four polio vaccine doses this year—well below the 80–86% needed for community protection.
Pertussis Spikes as Whooping Cough Cases Rise
Alberta has already seen a whooping cough resurgence, with 894 confirmed pertussis cases in 2023. The illness poses a deadly risk to infants, particularly those too young to be vaccinated. Despite this, vaccine rates continue to fall. In 2024, just 68.9% of Alberta children had completed their pertussis shots, a sharp drop from 75.8% in 2015.
Experts Cite Measles as a ‘Canary in the Coal Mine’
Doctors describe measles as a warning sign for what’s to come. “It’s the first to return when immunization drops,” said Dr. Cora Constantinescu of Alberta Children’s Hospital. Its extreme contagiousness requires near-total population immunity. With coverage falling in rural and urban zones alike, health officials fear mumps, chickenpox, and diphtheria could be next.
Public Health Calls for Urgent Vaccination Response
To counter the crisis, doctors are calling for renewed public health campaigns, better vaccine education, and coordinated efforts across Alberta. “We have the tools, but we need public cooperation,” said Jenne. “This is not just a warning. It’s a shift in the disease landscape—and we risk seeing the return of illnesses we thought we had defeated decades ago.”
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