You香蕉视频直播檝e seen the headlines, you香蕉视频直播檝e read the comments and you香蕉视频直播檝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.

香蕉视频直播淭here香蕉视频直播檚 no treatment for measles, so if you get measles it香蕉视频直播檚 your own body that has to cure you,香蕉视频直播� said Naus.

Measles is a virus, so antibiotics don香蕉视频直播檛 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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香蕉视频直播淚f your lungs are full of measles virus and you香蕉视频直播檙e in respiratory failure you can be put on a ventilator,香蕉视频直播� said Naus. 香蕉视频直播淚f you have a brain infection with measles 香蕉视频直播� they can give you steroids to reduce swelling 香蕉视频直播� but essentially it香蕉视频直播檚 up to you to cure yourself.香蕉视频直播�

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

香蕉视频直播淵ou don香蕉视频直播檛 need direct contact. You don香蕉视频直播檛 need to be sharing spit, kissing, sharing 香蕉视频直播� it香蕉视频直播檚 airborne, so it香蕉视频直播檚 that much more infectious.香蕉视频直播�

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

香蕉视频直播淲hen you have high numbers of cases, you also wind up with a high number of cases with complications,香蕉视频直播� said Naus.

Measles can infect any part of the body and serious infection occurs when the virus spreads to a person香蕉视频直播檚 lungs or brain.

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According to Naus there is debate around how fatal measles is, but it香蕉视频直播檚 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.

香蕉视频直播淲e do get imported cases, sometimes a visitor or a Canadian returning from overseas and most of the time there香蕉视频直播檚 no onward transmission if people around them are vaccinated,香蕉视频直播� said Naus. 香蕉视频直播淚f they go into a group of people with susceptible individuals that香蕉视频直播檚 when we see transmission.香蕉视频直播�

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.

香蕉视频直播淭here are people who believe that general health, eating nutritious foods and exercising is sufficient,香蕉视频直播� said Naus. 香蕉视频直播淵es 香蕉视频直播� all those things help your immune system but they don香蕉视频直播檛 provide you with specific immunity.香蕉视频直播�

The recent outbreak has been limited to a small group of schools in Vancouver and according to Naus there haven香蕉视频直播檛 been anymore reported cases since Valentines Day.

香蕉视频直播淭he incubation period for measles is up to 21 days so we won香蕉视频直播檛 know whether there will be any additional cases until about the 7th of March,香蕉视频直播� said Naus.

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