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Keays said Health Link will assess a patient’s symptoms and begin the next steps of support.

Those infected with measles are often contagious before they show any symptoms. Measles has no cure. Most cases eventually clear up on their own, but some infections can lead to severe complications like pneumonia, encephalitis and death.

‘It’s very, very safe’

Due to confidentiality laws, Keays could not provide any details about the infected passenger including whether or not they were vaccinated.

Albertans can call Health Link if they are unsure of their vaccination history. Keays said anyone in Alberta can get vaccinations free of charge.

“It is important to be vaccinated before you come in contact with someone with measles. One dose of measles vaccine is 95 per cent effective and it’s very, very safe,” said Keays. “We now offer a second dose of vaccines to children in Alberta and that combined with the first dose gives you a 99 per cent protection.”

Keays said Alberta has between 80 and 90 per cent vaccination rates, varying from region to region. The national average is 95 per cent.

Keays said she hopes this latest case is a reminder to Albertans to get vaccinated.

In 2017 there were two cases of measles in the province. Since 2012, Alberta has had a total of 78 cases, 44 of those came in 2013 and 29 in 2014, according to Alberta Health.

Two more measles cases in Vancouver

On Sunday, health authorities in Vancouver confirmed two more cases of measles in the city, separate from the ongoing outbreak linked to two francophone schools.

Chris Devauld, a spokesman with Vancouver International Airport, confirmed the two cases were travellers who had passed through the airport.

One was a passenger who arrived in Vancouver on Feb. 11 on Philippine Airlines flight PR 116 from Manila, while the other was a passenger who departed Vancouver on Feb. 12 on Air Canada flight AC236 to Edmonton.

– with files from Stephanie Ip and The Canadian Press