The sky hangs low and gray over the University of Alberta campus as I arrive on an unusually quiet Wednesday afternoon. Yellow caution signs now dot the entrances to several campus buildings. Inside the Students’ Union Building, small clusters of people speak in hushed tones, their conversations punctuated by the occasional nervous laugh.
“I just got the alert on my phone during lecture,” says Amina Hassan, a third-year biology student, scrolling through her email. “Everyone started looking at each other. My professor even stopped mid-sentence.”
What prompted this subtle but palpable tension was an alert from Alberta Health Services confirming a case of measles on campus, potentially exposing hundreds of students, staff, and faculty to the highly contagious virus between January 12 and 14.
The exposure sites include multiple high-traffic locations: the Students’ Union Building, Edmonton Clinic Health Academy, and the University Transit Centre. For a campus community of over 40,000, this news travels fast and hits hard.
“We’re working closely with university administration to identify individuals who may have been exposed,” explains Dr. Sameena Rahman, Medical Officer of Health for the Edmonton Zone. “Measles is one of the most contagious diseases we know of—if you’re unvaccinated and in the same room as someone with measles, the likelihood of transmission is extremely high.”
The virus can remain airborne for up to two hours after an infected person has left a space, according to the Public Health Agency of Canada. What makes this particularly concerning is the timing—just as the winter semester shifts into full gear, with packed lecture halls and crowded study spaces.
Outside the health center, I meet Garrett Wilson, a teaching assistant in the Faculty of Science, who just received his vaccination record.
“I grew up in a community where vaccine hesitancy was common,” he tells me, adjusting his mask. “I was vaccinated as a child, but I needed to be sure. The nurse told me they’ve had over 200 people come in just today to check their immunity status.”
Alberta’s immunization rates have been a source of concern for public health officials in recent years. According to Alberta Health Services data, MMR (measles, mumps, rubella) vaccination rates among school-aged children have hovered between 86-88% in the Edmonton Zone—below the 95% threshold needed for effective herd immunity.
This gap became more pronounced during the COVID-19 pandemic, when routine childhood immunizations saw significant delays across Canada. The Public Health Agency of Canada reported in 2022 that nearly 35% of children nationwide had fallen behind on their scheduled vaccinations, creating pockets of vulnerability to diseases that had been largely controlled for decades.
Dr. Theresa Tam, Canada’s Chief Public Health Officer, warned in her annual report last year that “vaccine-preventable diseases remain a threat to public health in Canada,” highlighting measles specifically as a concern due to declining global vaccination rates and increased international travel.
At the campus coffee shop, barista and part-time student Joel Carrière adjusts his mask between customers. “We’ve been told to be extra vigilant with sanitizing,” he says. “But honestly, it’s scary. Measles wasn’t something I ever thought I’d have to worry about in 2023.”
The university has mobilized quickly, setting up a temporary vaccination clinic in the main gymnasium and extending health service hours. Dr. Francesca Miller, Director of the University Health Centre, explains that they’re prioritizing three groups: those with no documented measles vaccination, those with compromised immune systems, and pregnant individuals.
“We need to remember that for some members of our community, this isn’t just an inconvenience—it’s potentially life-threatening,” Dr. Miller emphasizes. “Students receiving chemotherapy, those with certain autoimmune conditions, or pregnant women all face heightened risks.”
For international students, the situation adds another layer of complexity. Li Wei, who arrived from Shanghai last semester, shows me a WeChat group where dozens of Chinese students are discussing how to verify their vaccination status when their records are in another language and healthcare system.
“Many of us are vaccinated, but proving it quickly is challenging,” she explains. “The university is trying to help, but there’s confusion about what documentation is acceptable.”
This outbreak connects to a larger pattern emerging across North America. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in the United States has reported a troubling uptick in measles cases over the past two years, with several outbreaks linked to international travel and under-vaccinated communities.
In Canada, cases have remained relatively rare since measles was officially eliminated in 1998, but sporadic outbreaks continue to occur. Last year, British Columbia faced a small cluster of cases in the Fraser Valley, while Ontario dealt with exposures connected to international flights arriving in Toronto.
Dr. Rahman notes that symptoms typically appear 7-21 days after exposure, beginning with fever, cough, runny nose, and red eyes, followed by the characteristic rash. “If you develop these symptoms, call Health Link at 811 before seeking in-person care, to prevent potentially exposing others,” she advises.
As evening falls and the campus empties, I pass by the university daycare center where a notice on the door reminds parents that children under 12 months are too young to receive the measles vaccine, making them especially vulnerable.
Jennifer Okafor, picking up her 10-month-old daughter, summarizes the situation with quiet frustration: “We’ve somehow gone backward, haven’t we? My grandmother told stories about measles outbreaks, and now here we are—my daughter is facing the same risks in 2023.”
The university expects to provide another update within 48 hours, as they continue contact tracing and monitoring for additional cases. Meanwhile, the community waits, an unexpected lesson in public health unfolding alongside their academic curriculum.
