Firefighters measle-free ... so far

Northland medical officer of health Clair Mills said none of the Northland firefighters had reported symptoms as of Thursday afternoon. Photo / Shaun Jeffers

None of the Northland firefighters who took part in the Sky Tower Challenge have so far reported any signs of measles.

On May 28, 750 firefighters raced up the 1103 steps of the Sky Tower with 25kg of equipment as a fundraiser for Leukaemia and Blood Cancer NZ. About 50 contestants were from Northland.

The event raised a record $1 million but also caused a public health scare after it was found a Palmerston North firefighter had measles.

Public health staff contacted the Fire Service and brigade chiefs last Thursday, then spent the weekend emailing and phoning every Northland contestant.

They were advised of the symptoms of measles and urged to phone, not visit, their GP if they fell ill.

They could also phone Whangarei Hospital.

The virus usually takes 10 days to make itself felt so the first cases could have appeared on Monday.

Northland medical officer of health Clair Mills said no one had reported symptoms as of Thursday afternoon. She was hopeful Northlanders had not been exposed to the virus.

Most completed the race early in the morning while the infected firefighter climbed the tower later in the day.

Measles was taken seriously because it was highly infectious and could lead to life-threatening complications such as pneumonia.

Of the six Hokianga residents infected last year, two ended up in hospital.

The Fire Service and its volunteers had been cooperative, Dr Mills said.

The Waipu brigade dedicated their climb to local leukaemia patients Barclay Morunga, 5, and Sandra Bogart.

Barclay spent the day at the Sky Tower so his mother was also contacted and given medical advice.