Premature baby dies of measles in Canada amid national outbreak

OTTAWA: A premature baby infected with measles has died in Alberta, marking the province's first measles-related death and the second nationwide since the start of Canada's ongoing outbreak, local media reported.

Adriana LaGrange, Alberta's minister of primary and preventative health services, said in an emailed statement she was "saddened" to confirm the death.

Children under five, pregnant people and those with weak immune systems face the highest risk from measles, LaGrange said. She urged anyone planning a pregnancy to ensure they have received two doses of a measles-containing vaccine beforehand, as vaccination is not recommended during pregnancy.

The country's first recent measles death was reported in Ontario in June, when another prematurely born baby died of the disease.

The outbreak has been spreading across several provinces since last October. As of September 20, Canadian health authorities had recorded 5,006 cases this year, with Alberta and Ontario the hardest hit, Xinhua news agency reported.

Canada declared measles eliminated in 1998, but the resurgence has alarmed public health officials across the country.

According to the World Health Organization, Measles is a highly contagious disease caused by a virus. It spreads easily when an infected person breathes, coughs or sneezes. It can cause severe disease, complications, and even death.

Measles can affect anyone but is most common in children.