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A case of measles in Australia has prompted health officials to warn Kiwi passengers who may have been exposed on the same flight.
Health agencies have asked anyone on a flight from Abu Dhabi to Melbourne arriving at 6am on January 28, who then flew on to New Zealand, to contact Healthline if they hadn’t already been contacted.
It comes after there was confirmation of a case of measles in Melbourne linked to the flight.
As a result of a warning alert from the Australian Health authorities, 36 travellers thought to be most at risk from potential exposure have been contacted and advised of precautions.
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So far there are no reported cases of measles in New Zealand, the Ministry of Health and Te Whatu Ora has confirmed.
The national public health service within Te Whatu Ora has made calls to check immunity, offer vaccination where appropriate, and advise on a short period of quarantine where this is recommended.
The health agencies said initially it was understood all travellers had been identified but they were now aware some may have been on other flights to New Zealand.
Tom Lee/Stuff
A Measles sign outside a medical centre. (File photo)
“At this stage, the public health risk associated with close contacts is considered low but it’s a timely reminder New Zealand remains at risk of measles being imported following international travel,” a joint release from the agencies said.
“The best protection against measles is to be vaccinated with two doses of the measles, mumps, rubella (MMR) vaccine. The MMR vaccine is free.
”If you or anyone in your whānau born after 1969 has not had an MMR vaccine, or aren’t sure, ask your GP, parent or caregiver.”
Tom Lee/Stuff
The MMR measles, Mumps and Rubella Vaccine is free in New Zealand. (File photo)
Outbreaks of measles had recently been reported in Asia, Africa, Europe, and the USA, the agencies said, and travel to those regions could put unvaccinated children at risk of infection and increase the risk of importation of measles into New Zealand.
New Zealand is one of 81 countries verified by the World Health Organization (WHO) as having eliminated endemic measles.
It has not seen sustained transmission of measles in the community for longer than a year since 2014.
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