Alberta Health Services (AHS) issued a public alert today (March 3) that a person who traveled on a flight from Vancouver to Edmonton has been confirmed to have had a case of measles.

The flight, Westjet Flight WS 186, left Vancouver International Airport (YVR) at 10:20 p.m. (PST) on February 24. It arrived on February 25 at Edmonton International Airport (YEG).

Anyone who was on the flight or who was at the Edmonton airport between 12:30 a.m. to 3:30 a.m. on February 25 may be at risk for developing measles if they were born after 1970, have not already had measles, and have not received two doses of the measles vaccine.

While AHS will be contacting passengers from the flight, anyone at the airport is being asked to call Health Link (811) for risk assessment.

Anyone in the noted locations is advised to take note of any symptoms until March 18.

If measles symptoms do develop, individuals are asked to call Health Link before visiting any healthcare facility or provider.

Symptoms to watch for include a fever of 38.3 C or higher with a cough, runny nose, and/or red eyes, as well as with a red blotchy rash that appears three to seven days after the onset of the fever.

The rash usually begins behind the ears and on the face before spreading down to the body and to the arms and legs.

While no treatment for measles (which is a highly contagious airborne disease, which can be spread through coughs and sneezes) is available, it can be prevented through immunization.