Measles outbreak declared over but health officials warn of ongoing risk with Tauranga case

A recent case of measles in Tauranga was linked to overseas travel and not the recent outbreak, Health NZ said. Photo / NZME

The measles outbreak, which started in September, is officially over, with 42 days since the last confirmed connected case – but risk from the virus remains.

One case of measles was confirmed in Tauranga on January 29. Health New Zealand said this case was linked to overseas travel and not the recent outbreak.

“Although the latest Tauranga case and the recent outbreak are not connected, they highlight New Zealand’s ongoing vulnerability to measles infection – particularly as links to overseas travel are a common thread,” Public Health Medicine Specialist Dr Emma Sherwood said.

The number of cases officially connected to the national outbreak was 48.

Sherwood said this further analysis of the links between cases and their original sources has allowed the NPHS to provide improved and updated case data.

“Being able to close this outbreak is a significant achievement. Our outbreak response involved public health services working across the country with local communities over the past four months to manage 48 cases and over 7500 contacts,” she said in a statement today.

“It’s important to acknowledge the co-ordinated work of the public health service and contact tracing systems, alongside strong community co-operation with isolation requirements, undoubtedly prevented a much larger outbreak similar to 2019.

“It is also heartening that, thanks to a massive immunisation push during this outbreak response, nearly 107,000 doses of the measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine have been delivered to people across the country over the last four months.”

Sherwood believed it was likely there would be future measles cases and outbreaks.

She said many popular travel destinations were experiencing outbreaks, and there’s a risk of travellers bringing measles back to New Zealand, where it was known there were low immunisation rates in some communities.

“That’s why we continue to urge anyone not already immunised with two doses of the MMR vaccine after 12 months old to get vaccinated to protect themselves and loved ones against future outbreaks.”