Alberta Medical Association warns measles will rise, says ramped-up health campaign needed [Video]

As the number of measles cases in Alberta continues to rise, the organization representing its doctors says the government needs to ramp up public messaging and prevention.

In its latest numbers posted Friday, the provincial government reported 137 total cases since March, exceeding the most recent high of 123 cases reported in the province 25 years ago.

Alberta Medical Association president Dr. Shelley Duggan said the numbers suggest that within weeks, that count could skyrocket to more than 1,000.

“As a physician who’s been practising for over 20 years, I’ve never seen measles. I suspect I’m going to,” she said.

She said Alberta needs to offer regular, weekly public briefings, seriously expand public messaging and set up booster clinics in areas with low vaccination rates.

“It really has to be a multi-pronged campaign, and we need to have started yesterday,” she said.

Duggan said for every one case of the measles, you can assume that …