Measles case confirmed at Mount Maunganui

A case of measles has been confirmed in Mount Maunganui following outbreaks in Christchurch and Auckland.

Public health authorities are encouraging people to ensure that they and their children have received MMR (measles, mumps and rubella) vaccine that protects against measles.

Last week, 67 people in New Zealand were diagnosed with measles this year, including 39 in Canterbury and 12 in Auckland.

Two cases of measles were reported in Abondance Bay in January – in Tauranga and Whakatāne. Both patients had recently traveled abroad.

Dr. Jim Miller, Medical Officer of Health of Te Te Ora, said that the person with measles was a young adult in his twenties and a year and a visitor to Tauranga.

Dr. Miller stated that it was not clear whether the Mount Maunganui case had any connection with the outbreaks of Christchurch or Auckland.

However, he stated that it was common to contract suspected cases and that this case underscored the importance of getting vaccinated.

If a person suspected a case of measles, Miller urged them to call their GP before making an appointment to avoid a possible spread of the disease in the doctors' waiting room.

Dr. Miller stated that there was sufficient vaccine supply in the country to cover routine immunization and that parents needed to ensure that their children were vaccinated on time, at 15 months, and at the same time. 4 years old.

"The MMR vaccine provides highly effective protection against measles and is completely free for children and adults who need it," said Dr. Miller.

People in their late teens and early twenties should also check that they have been vaccinated because the vaccination rate was lower when they were children.

Anyone who does not know if they have been immunized should consult their doctor.

"If you have never had a dose of MMR vaccine, now is the time to get it." After one dose of MMR vaccine, about 95% of people are protected from measles and 99% of people who received both doses are protected measles. "

People born before 1969 were probably immune because measles was fairly common and people in this age group did not need vaccination.

Dr. GP Luke Bradshaw, a doctor at Fifth Avenue, is not surprised by the Mount Maunganui case because Tauranga has a higher proportion of unvaccinated people than other places and there have been two cases in the bay Plenty this year, he said.

Bradshaw said there had been a noticeable increase in the number of people vaccinated since the outbreaks in Auckland and Christchurch, particularly among those traveling to Christchurch.

This has resulted in a shortage of vaccines in the region, but he expects supplies to be sent from other regions if needed.

Bradshaw also noted an increase in the number of inquiries from people wanting to know if they were covered and from companies seeking to vaccinate their staff.

About measles

Measles is a highly infectious viral disease that is transmitted from person to person through the air, breathing, sneezing or coughing. Just being in the same room as a person with measles can result in an infection if you are not immune. Measles can be serious with about one in 10 people contracting measles who must be hospitalized.

"The first early symptoms of measles are fever, runny nose, red eyes and cough. After three to five days, a red rash appears on the face and head, then spreads all over the body, "said Dr. Miller.

Anyone who thought they had measles should stay at home and call their doctor or healthline to arrange an assessment, to avoid putting another person at risk.

• Anyone who thinks they have been exposed to measles or who have symptoms should not go to the emergency department or the clinic after normal working hours or to a general practitioner. Call your GP at any time, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week for free health advice.

• For more information or advice on measles, call Healthline on 0800 611 116 or visit the Ministry of Health's measles page.