Health officials say a measles outbreak in northeast B.C. that's been active for nearly a year is showing signs of a significant slowdown.
For the last 10 months, the region has been the hotspot for measles in the province, recording 321 confirmed cases since an outbreak began in a rural community near Fort St. John.
But over the last six weeks, the B.C. Centre for Disease Control has reported just three confirmed new cases.
"Seeing it slowing down, it's a relief and also in a way, good news for the community,” said Dr. Jong Kim, chief medical health officer for Northern Health.
Northern Health models previously suggested the region would see up to 10 new cases a week well into the new year.
But Kim says the region has seen considerably less, some weeks recording no new cases at all.
He attributes that to a massive jump in residents and health-care workers getting immunized.
According to Northern Health data, immunization across the north increased 61 per cent year-over-year in September, 137 per cent in October, and 92 per cent in November.
In the northeast region alone, immunizations increased 202 per cent year-over-year in October.
Kim says family doctors and health-care workers played an important role in boosting those rates.
"Promoting and explaining and supporting those immunization related inquiries and questions, that was much appreciated and very important work.”
Kim says there’s also been an increase in natural immunity as more people have been exposed to the virus as it spread.
"There are more protections in the community,” he said. "Those gaps are narrowing down.”
Canada lost its measles-free status last November, after recording more than 5,000 cases.
The country can re-establish that status only if the current outbreak is interrupted for at least 12 months.
Achieving that, Kim says, means more people making informed decisions to get their family and children regularly immunized.
-with files from CBC
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