SHA warns of measles exposure risk in Saskatoon, North Battleford

The Saskatchewan Health Authority is warning the public about a risk of measles exposure in Saskatoon and North Battleford.

“The exposure risks resulted from a confirmed case,” the health authority said in a statement.

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“Individuals who were at any of the following locations during these time periods should monitor themselves closely.”

The locations in Saskatoon are as follows:

• Smiley’s Buffet and Catering (702 Circle Dr, Saskatoon): Friday, March 21, from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m.
• Queen Nails & Spa Confederation Mall (300 Confederation Dr #46, Saskatoon): Friday, March 21, from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m.
• Play Toon Indoor Playground (331 60th Street, Saskatoon): Saturday, March 22, from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m.
• Tommy Gun’s Original Barbershop (831 51st Street Unit 70, Saskatoon): Saturday, March 22, from 3:30 p.m. to 6 p.m.
• Tim Hortons (709 Circle Dr E, Saskatoon): Saturday, March 22, from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m.
• Value Village (2115 Faithful Ave, Saskatoon): Saturday, March 22, from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m.
• HomeSense (3047 Clarence Ave S, Saskatoon): Saturday, March 22, from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m.

In North Battleford, the health authority noted the following locations:

• River Valley Eye Care: Thursday, March 20, from 11:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
• Gold Eagle Casino: Saturday, March 22, from 12 a.m. to 3:30 a.m.
• Shoppers Drug Mart in Frontier Mall: Sunday, March 23, from 3:30 p.m. to 6 p.m.
• Tim Hortons by Frontier Mall: Sunday, March 23, from 4 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.
• Splish Splash Auto and Pet Wash: Sunday, March 23, from 5 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.
• Battleford Union Hospital – Emergency Department: Sunday, March 23, from 11 a.m. to 6:30 p.m., Monday, March 24, 2025 from 2 a.m. to 7:30 a.m., and Monday, March 24, from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m.

The health authority’s Dr. Mandiangu Nsungu said the person behind the exposure risks caught the illness outside of Saskatchewan, but within Canada.

The individual is unvaccinated, he said, and has been in isolation for the past few days. All of their close contacts have been notified, he added.

During a conference call with reporters, Nsungu said exposures to the virus can occur for up to two hours after the infectious person left a room.

“It is not just a droplet transmission. It is also what we call an airborne transmission. It means that the small particles containing the measles virus can stay suspended in the air,” he said.

The latest numbers indicate that there are now three confirmed measles cases in Saskatchewan: two in the southern part of the province and one in the Battlefords area.

The announcement of an exposure risk comes as other provinces see spikes in measles cases.

Public Health Ontario said there are 572 confirmed and suspected measles cases in the province, leaving 42 people in hospital. In Alberta, meanwhile, 18 people have been diagnosed with measles, most of them minors. Quebec is also dealing with measles, with 40 cases confirmed in the province.

“Immunization is your best tool against measles, and two complete doses is what you need to have full vaccination. One dose is not enough,” explained Dr. David Torr, a medical health officer with the Saskatchewan Health Authority.

“Once immunized, the measles vaccine is extremely efficient, over 90 per cent of protection both against actually getting the infection and certainly against getting any complications or even death from measles.”

Torr said measles lead to very serious and permanent complications like partial or total blindness, deafness, inflammation or damage to the brain, impacted nerves and even death.

The health authority said symptoms of measles include fever, cough, runny nose, red eyes, fatigue, irritability, small, white spots (known as Koplik spots) inside the mouth and throat, and a red blotchy rash which develops on the face and spreads down the body about three to seven days after symptoms begin.

The Saskatchewan Health Authority is expected to release more information on the risks at a news conference Thursday afternoon.

–with files from The Canadian Press, 980 CJME’s Nicole Garn and 650 CKOM’s Lara Fominoff

EDITOR’S NOTE: This story has been amended to correct the number of confirmed cases.