Alberta measles outbreak not dire enough to warrant public address: health minister

Health Minister Adriana LaGrange says Alberta's measles outbreak isn't dire enough for the province's top doctor for public health to address the public, despite mounting calls for the government to do more to stop the spread.

Alberta has reported 43 cases of the highly infectious disease over the past month.The Edmonton Zone Medical Staff Association says the spread is a result of government inaction, especially around Alberta's low vaccination rates.

The association is calling on the province to improve how it updates the public on the outbreak and develop a vaccination plan.

LaGrange says the province's chief medical officer of health doesn't think the situation warrants a public address quite yet.

She says Dr. Mark Joffe is working with local medical officials to respond to the outbreak and that if a public address is needed, he'd be permitted to do so.