An Alberta baby, born prematurely after its mother contracted measles during pregnancy has died, government officials announced Thursday.
Details of the death first came on the Alberta government’s online measle dashboard.
Alberta Health Minister Adriana LaGrange, in a statement, said she “hoped this moment would not come.”
“I am saddened to share that we have had our first death from measles in the province. A child, born prematurely after the mother contracted measles during pregnancy, died shortly after birth,” she said.
“This is a heartbreaking loss, and no words can capture the pain of losing a child. My sincere condolences go to the family during this profoundly difficult time.”
She added children under five years old, pregnant women and people with weakened immune systems face the highest risk from measles.
“Measles during pregnancy can lead to serious complications, including miscarriage, preterm labour, stillbirth, and congenital infection. Anyone planning a pregnancy should ensure they have received two doses of measles-containing vaccine prior to conception, as vaccination during pregnancy is not recommended.”
LaGrange did not provide any information about where in the province the patients resided.
The update comes as there are now 1,910 cases of measles in Alberta.
According to the Government of Canada’s measles and rubella weekly monitoring report, this is the second death from measles in the country so far this year.