By Canadian Press

Ten British Columbians in hospital with the measles, as disease spreads in north

Jul 10, 2025 | 2:30 PM

VICTORIA — British Columbia’s health ministry says 10 people are hospitalized with measles in the province, with one active, contagious case as of July 8.

It says the infections are among 102 confirmed cases this year, with most involving people who were not fully immunized.

Deputy Provincial Health Officer Dr. Martin Lavoie says in an update that cases are mostly centred in northern B.C., with the Northern Health authority reporting 71 infections so far this year.

Lavoie says the highly contagious disease started spreading “broadly” at the end of May, and has since found “pockets of un-immunized people” in northern B.C. and elsewhere, allowing spread to continue.

Lavoie says the province has taken steps to identify those unimmunized communities, adding that his office is highly recommending immunization, which he says is safe and effective.

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He says B.C.’s immunization rate of about 84 per cent is quite good but not perfect, while B.C. Health Minister Josie Osborne says getting immunized is the best thing B.C. residents can do to protect themselves and others.

The update comes after people who attended a prenatal clinic in Fort St. John, B.C., were told this week that they may have been exposed to measles, with Northern Health saying up to 20 patients were exposed.

The tally of B.C. measles cases was up slightly from Monday, when the B.C. Centre for Disease Control reported 99 infections.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 10, 2025.

Wolfgang Depner, The Canadian Press