Some 130 Japanese tourists quarantined in Canada - measles

[hawkeye]

Some 130 Japanese tourists quarantined in Canada
Source: Xinhuanet | 05-29-2007 14:53

OTTAWA, May 28 (Xinhua) -- Canadian health officials have quarantined around 130 Japanese tourists in a southwestern resort after one sick member of the group tested positive for measles, local media reported on Monday.

The group, mostly high school students, were quarantined in the Rocky Mountain resort town of Banff after arriving from Vancouver on Sunday. The sick member was sent back to Vancouver, Canadian Television reported.

The Calgary Health Region said the quarantine is strictly precautionary and that the students are being tested for their immunity to measles. The results are expected on Tuesday.

Health officials in Vancouver are trying to reach all passengers that were on board the tourist group's flight from Japan to Vancouver, as well as anyone else who may have been exposed to the group members, the report said.

Hundreds of students have been infected by measles in Japan, forcing the closure of about a dozen universities for varying periods. The outbreak is believed to be Japan's largest in the past five years.

 

[Gert van der Hoek]

Re: Some 130 Japanese tourists quarantined in Canada - measles

Japanese isolated in Canada after measles exposure

Tue May 29, 2007 4:53PM BST

CALGARY, Alberta (Reuters) - A group of 130 Japanese tourists, mostly students, was quarantined in a hotel in Western Canada's Rocky Mountains on Tuesday as health officials scrambled to test their exposure to measles, authorities said.

The 120 students, believed to be of high school age, and 10 chaperones were being held in the Banff, Alberta, hotel with blood tests scheduled to be completed later on Tuesday, said Bruce Conway, a spokesman for the Calgary Health Region.

None was showing any symptoms, Conway said.

They arrived in Vancouver from Tokyo on Thursday. There, a woman in the group took ill with measles and checked into a hospital.

The tourists flew to Calgary without her on Sunday and then traveled to the mountain resort of Banff by bus.

"And they've been in this hotel, which unfortunately is not the trip they were hoping for," Conway said.

He said he did not know where in Japan the tourists live.

Measles, a viral infection, is rare in Canada due to vaccination programs before 1970 and beginning again in the 1980s. Symptoms include coughing, a runny nose and slight fever in the first stage, then a red rash that spreads over the body and lasts for about five days.

It is contagious four days before the rash appears and four days after.

Complications can include pneumonia, middle ear infections, swelling of the brain and seizures.

http://uk.reuters.com/article/healthNews/idUKN2932278220070529

 

[Gert van der Hoek]

Re: Some 130 Japanese tourists quarantined in Canada - measles

Majority of Quarantined Tourists in Banff Safe From Measles

May, 29 2007 - 1:00 PM


CALGARY/AM770CHQR - A group of 130 Japanese tourists have been given clearance for some limited sight-seeing in Banff today, after a member of the group tested positive for measles.

Although that person stayed behind in Vancouver Sunday, the CHR quarantined the rest in Banff in order to reduce the risk of spread.

Dr. Judy McDonald says blood tests have shown most were already immune to the virus.

But 41 people were found not immune to measles, and they're getting a shot.

Dr. McDonald says she's not sure when the group is scheduled to leave Banff, but they will be monitoring them while they're here.

http://www.770chqr.com/news/news_lo...0132723aPBIny&wids=410&gi=1&gm=news_local.cfm

 

[Gert van der Hoek]

Re: Some 130 Japanese tourists quarantined in Canada - measles

No more measles found, 41 Japanese heading home


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