You91裸聊视频檝e seen the headlines, you91裸聊视频檝e read the comments and you91裸聊视频檝e watched the hysteria build.

Dr. Monika Naus, medical director of the Communicable Diseases and Immunization Services at the B.C. Centre for Disease Control, explains exactly what the big deal is.

91裸聊视频淭here91裸聊视频檚 no treatment for measles, so if you get measles it91裸聊视频檚 your own body that has to cure you,91裸聊视频� said Naus.

Measles is a virus, so antibiotics don91裸聊视频檛 work. According to Naus the most modern medicine can do for you is aid in the healing, but your body has to tackle the infection itself.

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91裸聊视频淚f your lungs are full of measles virus and you91裸聊视频檙e in respiratory failure you can be put on a ventilator,91裸聊视频� said Naus. 91裸聊视频淚f you have a brain infection with measles 91裸聊视频� they can give you steroids to reduce swelling 91裸聊视频� but essentially it91裸聊视频檚 up to you to cure yourself.91裸聊视频�

Measles is a highly infectious virus spread through airborne transmission making it that much easier to contract.

91裸聊视频淵ou don91裸聊视频檛 need direct contact. You don91裸聊视频檛 need to be sharing spit, kissing, sharing 91裸聊视频� it91裸聊视频檚 airborne, so it91裸聊视频檚 that much more infectious.91裸聊视频�

Because measles can spread so easily in susceptible populations it can cause exceedingly high numbers of cases.

91裸聊视频淲hen you have high numbers of cases, you also wind up with a high number of cases with complications,91裸聊视频� said Naus.

Measles can infect any part of the body and serious infection occurs when the virus spreads to a person91裸聊视频檚 lungs or brain.

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According to Naus there is debate around how fatal measles is, but it91裸聊视频檚 estimated from North American data about one in 300 cases result in death.

In 1996 Canada adopted the measles elimination goal as part of the Pan American Health Organization because it was recognized increasingly that measles elimination was achievable.

91裸聊视频淲e do get imported cases, sometimes a visitor or a Canadian returning from overseas and most of the time there91裸聊视频檚 no onward transmission if people around them are vaccinated,91裸聊视频� said Naus. 91裸聊视频淚f they go into a group of people with susceptible individuals that91裸聊视频檚 when we see transmission.91裸聊视频�

According to Naus measles is still a big problem worldwide, particularly where children are malnourished coupled with little available treatment the virus is still killing hundreds of thousands of children worldwide.

Naus said while it is achievable to eliminate measles, it requires a demand from the public to be vaccinated and prevent the disease from spreading.

91裸聊视频淭here are people who believe that general health, eating nutritious foods and exercising is sufficient,91裸聊视频� said Naus. 91裸聊视频淵es 91裸聊视频� all those things help your immune system but they don91裸聊视频檛 provide you with specific immunity.91裸聊视频�

The recent outbreak has been limited to a small group of schools in Vancouver and according to Naus there haven91裸聊视频檛 been anymore reported cases since Valentines Day.

91裸聊视频淭he incubation period for measles is up to 21 days so we won91裸聊视频檛 know whether there will be any additional cases until about the 7th of March,91裸聊视频� said Naus.

For more information on how you can get vaccinate to protect against to measles virus visit immunizebc.ca/finder