Further measles case identified

A young child has been identified as having measles in Palmerston North, taking the latest outbreak to a total of seven cases.

The Midcentral District Health Board said in a statement yesterday the child had no obvious connection to the first six cases reported last week at IPU New Zealand.

But they believed the child had come into contact with one of these cases in the community prior to the first outbreak alert.

Medical officer of Health Dr Rob Weir said the latest case attended a local daycare and authorities were now working with them to check if staff and children had the appropriate immunisations.

"Children who have not had their scheduled MMR vaccination at 15 months of age will need to stay in isolation. Staying in isolation means staying at home, and not attending daycare or going to the supermarket or other community spaces."

Dr Weir also advised the young child visited the Palmerston North City Library on the morning of Thursday, February 9 and the Toy Library on the afternoon of Monday, February 13.

"Anyone visiting these facilities at the times indicated may have been exposed to the measles virus."

Measles symptoms include fever, runny nose, cough, and sore red eyes. After three to five days a rash appears on the head and spreads down the body.