Imported Measles Case Confirmed In New Zealand

13 February 2023

A measles case has been confirmed
in New Zealand for the first time since the 2019 outbreak.
The person is an adult living in Auckland. They were
infected overseas, however did not become infectious until
after their arrival in New Zealand. The confirmed case is
now isolating at home and contact tracing is
underway.

There are several public exposure events
between Sunday 5 February and Saturday 11 February where
measles could have been passed on to others. These include a
festival in the Waikato; chartered bus transport, meals and
a hotel in Tauranga; a pharmacy and supermarket in
Auckland’s CBD. Details and advice are available
below.

‘Measles is a very serious illness that
spreads very quickly. It is much more contagious than
COVID-19, particularly amongst people who aren’t
immune,’ says Te Whatu Ora spokesperson Dr Nick
Chamberlain, Director, National Public Health
Service.

‘We ask anyone present at these exposure
events to stay alert to symptoms of measles and check if
they are immune. You should ring Healthline on 0800
611 116 if you aren’t immune and may have been
exposed.

‘Symptoms can include a fever, cough, runny
nose and sore and watery ‘pink’ eyes. These are followed
by a blotchy rash. If you catch measles you’re infectious
four days before and until four days after the rash
appears.

‘If you have symptoms and need to visit
your GP or an after-hours clinic phone ahead first to limit
the risk of the virus being spread to other
people.

Please ensure that children and babies receive
their normal vaccinations to protect them from
measles.

‘It was inevitable that we would have
further cases of measles in New Zealand and have been
preparing for this for some time,’ says Dr
Chamberlain.

‘We are all aware of how infectious
measles is from the last outbreak in Auckland and Northland.
The most important thing that people can do to protect
themselves is to ensure they and their Tamariki are
immunised. Vaccination is safe and effective.’

Te
Whatu Ora is currently tracing all contacts of the case to
check immunity and offer vaccination where
appropriate.

People are considered immune if they have
received two doses of measles, mumps, rubella (MMR) vaccine,
have had a measles illness previously, or were born before
1969.

If you are unsure if you are immune and may have
been exposed, you should talk to your doctor or phone
Healthline. Symptoms normally take 7 – 14 days to develop
after being exposed to someone with measles. If you are
immunocompromised and have concerns that you may be a
contact or were at any of the below exposure events, please
contact Healthline or your doctor/GP.

The individual
has also been to other places, but Public Health has either
been able to identify those who may be contacts and inform
them directly, or the risk has been assessed as very low.
These places are therefore not being publicised in the media
to protect individual privacy. Additional public exposure
events may still be identified and will be publicised if
necessary.

Because measles is so infectious, it’s
important that infected people isolate, staying at home from
school or work. People who are infectious will need to
isolate from the time that they may have become infected
until four days after the rash first appears.

The best
protection against measles is to be vaccinated with two
doses of the measles, mumps, rubella (MMR) vaccine. It is
safe to have an extra MMR vaccination if you can’t prove
you have had two doses.

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.

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