2 new travel-related cases of measles confirmed in Metro Vancouver

Health officials in British Columbia say two new travel-related cases of measles have been confirmed in the Lower Mainland, bringing the number of those recently infected to four.

Fraser Health says both infected people travelled in the same group from South Korea as another person whose measles infection was identified earlier this week. 

These cases are unrelated to an infection last month involving a resident of the Vancouver Coastal Health region who was also infected after a trip to Southeast Asia.

Officials have also expanded a list of locations where members of the public might have been exposed, including Vancouver's airport, a supermarket in Burnaby and a restaurant in Coquitlam.

WATCH | Another 2 measles cases crop up in Lower Mainland: 

More travel-related measles cases confirmed in B.C.'s Lower Mainland

2 days ago

Duration 1:53

Fraser Health is warning people to make sure their vaccinations are up to date ahead of spring break after two new measles cases were reported on Friday, just a day after another measles case was confirmed on Thursday. Last month, there was one reported case of measles. As Meera Bains reports, all four cases are linked to visits to Southeast Asia.

Members of the public may have been exposed if they were on flight KE75 from Seoul to Vancouver on Feb. 17 or in the Vancouver International Airport on the same day from 3:20 p.m. to 6:20 p.m., according to the health authority.

Exposure is also possible for anyone at the PriceSmart supermarket at 9899 Austin Road from 9 a.m. to 11:20 a.m. on Feb. 20 and 21, at Big Way Hot Pot restaurant in Coquitlam from 7 p.m. to 11 p.m. on Feb. 28, and at the Royal Columbian Hospital Emergency Department from 2:30 p.m. on March 3 to 2:30 a.m. on March 4.

The health authority says in a statement that public and workplace health staff are following up directly with individuals who are known to have been exposed to the virus.

It says people who have been exposed should monitor for symptoms up to three weeks later, including fever, dry cough, runny nose and red eyes, followed by a rash.

"Measles has a long incubation period of up to 21 days," Dr. Maulik Baxi, a Fraser Health medical health officer, told CBC News.

"So people who may have been exposed, we have identified over 100 of them, offered post exposure prophylaxis if they were not protected."

Baxi is reminding people that spring break is just around the corner, and he urged anyone who's travelling abroad to check their immunization status against measles.

"If you haven't had two doses of measles-containing vaccine, please go get it," he said.

"And even if you're traveling with young kids, even one dose is still better than no doses or no protection. So that is our key message at this time."

Global rise of infections

As of Thursday, Canada had recorded 227 measles cases this year, with more cases reported in the first two months of 2025 than in all of 2024 

Measles is a highly infectious disease transmitted by airborne spread, but most people in Canada are immune due to immunization or previous natural infection.

Symptoms include fever, dry cough, runny nose and red eyes, which may develop up to three weeks after being exposed.

The Public Health Agency of Canada says there has been a "sharp rise" in measles cases across the globe, and the same trend is continuing in Canada. Most of Canada's cases this year have been in New Brunswick, Ontario, Québec and Manitoba. Many of the infected individuals had to be hospitalized, the agency added.