Doctors and scientists worry Alberta’s measles outbreaks could signal the start of a new era when other dangerous infectious diseases of the past could re-emerge and pose new health threats.

The province is battling its worst wave of measles cases in nearly half a century and there is no end in sight.

As of Friday, a total of 879 measles cases had been reported in the province since the outbreaks began in March.

It’s one of the first to re-emerge, experts say, because it is so highly contagious and requires very high vaccination rates (about 95 per cent) for population level protection.

Provincial data shows in 2024 just 68.1 per cent of Alberta two-year-olds were up to date with two doses of the measles vaccine.