Health NZ-Tairawhiti explains how to tell measles from chickenpox

Health New Zealand said immunisation was crucial to preventing the spread of measles. There were 13 cases of measles in the country, up to Thursday. None had been reported in Tairāwhiti yet at that point.

Health New Zealand Tairāwhiti says it is important to know the difference between measles and chickenpox.

The health organisation has made a statement on Facebook after two new cases of measles were confirmed in Auckland on Thursday, which brings the total number of cases across the country to 13.

There are four cases in Wellington, one in Northland, four in Auckland, one in Taranaki, two in Manawatū and one in Nelson.

Health New Zealand said the risk of further measles cases, contacts, and exposures across the country remained very high.

The Health NZ Tairāwhiti statement said measles was sometimes mixed up with chickenpox, “but they are two very different illnesses, with measles being more severe”.

Measles started with a high fever, red itchy eyes, a cough and runny nose. A rash followed, starting on the face then covering the body.

Chickenpox started with itchy blisters all over the body. Fever is mild to moderate, and a headache or fatigue might be present.

Both viruses could cause serious illness, and measles is especially dangerous and can lead to pneumonia, brain swelling, and other health complications such as hearing loss, said the statement.

Deliberately exposing tamariki to measles could put them and others at serious risk, especially those who are immunocompromised.

Immunity to measles can occur in two ways.

People born in Aotearoa New Zealand, before 1969 were likely to be immune to measles.

This is because there were no measles vaccines before this time, so most people were infected with measles during childhood.

Measles is highly infectious. An immunity rate of 95% was considered a requirement to prevent community spread.

The latest Health Target results, for the quarter ending June 30, showed 82% of New Zealand 2-year-olds were fully immunised.

Tairāwhiti rated 17th out of 20 health districts with an immunisation rate of 74.5%.

A spokeswoman for Health NZ – Tairāwhiti told the Gisborne Herald that coverage at the two-year milestone had increased from 68.1% in the quarter to March 2025 to 74.5% in the quarter to June 2025.

“We’ll continue to deliver outreach and other immunisation services according to the need of the community [in-home, clinics, events, etc] and working closely with health providers across Tairāwhiti, improve systems through the Aotearoa Immunisation Register, address vaccine hesitancy, and increase our vaccinator workforce,” the spokeswoman said.

“Understanding vaccine hesitancy is a key focus for Health NZ and ensuring that strategies to address this are informed by the voice of whānau.”