Vaccinations against measles are being targeted at the most vulnerable. Photo / File
Vaccinations against measles are being targeted at the most vulnerable. Photo / File
Bay of Plenty and Lakes health officials and the Ministry of Health are working together to develop a plan to help combat the spread of measles across the region.
Vikki Carter, the Ministry's senior advisor stakeholder engagement, said the plan would give a clearer idea of how many vaccines would be required.
Carter said she was not in a position to give more information at this stage, but the regional plan will be signed off this week.
"While the plan is under development, the district health boards were continuing to receive vaccines to target children aged 15 months and 4 years old," she said.
As at yesterday, 40 cases have been confirmed in the Western Bay, 14 in Rotorua and another 10 in Taupō.
Dr Jim Miller, Toi Te Ora Public Health medical officer of health. Photo / File
Dr Jim Miller, Medical Officer of Health at Toi Te Ora Public Health, said an incident management team (IMT) covering both district health boards, Toi Te Ora and primary care staff met daily to co-ordinate follow-ups of reported cases and their contacts to minimise the spread.
Miller said since the beginning of September 33 cases had been confirmed across the Bay of Plenty and Lakes district, including 10 this month.Four of the October cases were preschoolers, four were 15- to 29-year-olds, and two were older adults, he said.
"Vaccine supply to the Bay of Plenty and Lakes has been sufficient for us to focus on encouraging parents and carers to have children vaccinated with MMR on time at 15 months and 4 years, and to allow earlier MMR vaccination of infants travelling overseas or to Auckland."
Some frontline healthcare staff have also been vaccinated, Miller said.
"Toi Te Ora Public Health was well aware that there are gaps in immunity in our communities due to lower immunisation uptake in the past, and less than ideal uptake more recently.
"We were updated on the arrival in NZ of additional vaccine supplies, and have estimated how many vaccines would be required locally to make a start on closing these gaps over the next six months to assist in lowering our current risk, and to ensure that we do not remain at risk of further measles outbreaks in the future.
"We are particularly concerned to improve immunity in the 5-29 years age group."
Miller said the estimated MMR requirements had been submitted to the Ministry of Health for consideration and the IMT team was working closely with the Ministry and primary care to increase vaccination as soon as supply to the area can increase.
So far this year, 1917 measles cases have been confirmed nationwide, including 1545 in Auckland.
