Some students and staff in Anglophone South told to stay home because of measles outbreak

An unspecifiednumber ofstudents, teachers and staff at schoolsacross the Anglophone South School District have been told to stay home until early next week because ofthe measles outbreak in the Saint John area, saysthe Department of Health.

They might be contagious or at risk of contracting the highly contagious disease that's transmitted through the air or by direct contact,said communications director Bruce Macfarlane.

An immunization clinic, originally only for people who may have come into contact with one of the confirmed cases in the region, has also been opened up to anyone born between 1970 and 1995 who doesn't have the recommended two doses of themeasles, mumps, rubella (MMR)vaccine, he said.

The clinic, which started Wednesday at noonatExhibition Park, 39 McAllister Dr., was scheduled to continueuntil 8 p.m. It will resumeThursday at 10 a.m. until 8 p.m.

There are still only two confirmed cases of measles in the region, said Macfarlane, and the cases are related.

The person fromKennebecasis Valley High Schoolin Quispamsis, confirmed on May 13, was at the Saint John Regional Hospital's emergency department at the same time as thefirst confirmed case, announced on April 26.

That person had recently travelled to Europe andvisitedthe Halifax Infirmary's emergency department on April 17for unrelated symptoms.

The immunization clinic was initially only for people born in 1970 or later who don't have two MMR does and may have beenexposed to the KVHSindividualeither at Shadow Lawn Inn during lunch on May 6 or at the May 7 John Cleese show at Harbour Station in sections 26 or 27.

Number 'changing by day'

Macfarlanecould not immediately say how many people have been excluded from attending schoolor which schools they're from.

Superintendent Zo Watson said the number "is changing by day," but the order affects staff at 19 schoolsin Rothesay, Quispamsis, Belleisle and Hampton.

She previously said about 500 teachers and support staff from those schoolsmay have been exposed to measles when theyattended a New Brunswick Teachers' Association meeting at KVHS on May 6.

Grade 8 students from Harry Miller Middle School and Quispamsis Middle School and their parents who went on a tour of KVHS onMay 8 could also be at risk, Watson had said.

Precautionary measure

The excluded individuals were singled outeither through blood work that showed they're not immune,or lack of proof of the recommended immunization, said Macfarlane.

"The goal of the exclusions is that these particular individuals could be incubating measles and it becomes communicable before symptoms arise," he said.

People infected with the measles virus can be contagious about four days before the telltale rash appearsuntil four days after.

"These measures are to prevent transmission of a highly communicable disease in this exposure setting," he said.

A notice sent to thosewho showed non-immunity or didn't have proof of immunization and attended a PD day on May 6 advises themto remain off work until May 27 and to watch for symptoms of the measles.

Those who attended the school transition information session on May 8 should remain off work until May 29, and those who attended KVHS between May 6 and May 9 should remain off work until May 30, it states.

"By Monday we expect all staff, with maybe a couple of exceptions, will be back at school," the superintendentsaid in an emailed statement.

"Feedback received from our school staff has been very positive, and they appreciate this thorough review of records, the opportunity to have blood work, and an additional immunizationto ensure that everyone is safe and healthy," she added.

Info line voice mailbox full

A dedicated phone line set up to help people check their immunization record 643-6251 has been fielding an average of 50 calls per hour, saidDepartment of Health spokesperson AlyshaElliott.

On occasion, the voice mailbox hasbeen too full to accept any messages.

But the average response time is approximately one hour, said Elliott.

"If a member of the public has not received a call within one hour we recommend they call Tele-Care," the province's health information line at 811.

About 236 people have called Tele-Care with measles-related questions since April 28, shortly after the first case was announced, she said.

Symptoms to watch for

Measles symptoms, which usually begin within eight to 12 days after infection, may include fever, cough, runny nose, red or sore eyes, sleepiness, irritability and tiny white spots in the mouth.

Within three to seven days, a red blotchy rash usually develops on the face and then spreads to the rest of the body.

The disease can be more severe in adults, infants and pregnant women. Complications can include ear infections, pneumonia, blindness and swelling of the brain, which can cause seizures, deafness, brain damage or death. If contracted during pregnancy, it can cause premature labour, miscarriage and low birth weight.

People who havealready hadthe measles and those born before 1970 are considered immune.