With undetected measles potentially circulating in the community, Northland whānau are being urged to ensure students are immunised before heading back to school on Monday.
The National Public Health Service said, on Thursday, there were nine confirmed cases of measles in Northland, along with an unrelated case in Queenstown.
Medical officer of health Dr Denise Barnfather said with measles cases in the community and school holidays continuing this week, now is a great time for whānau to double-check the immunisation status of children and loved ones.
“And, if they’re not up to date, to go and get immunised before heading back to school.”
The vaccine is available at health clinics and pharmacies.
Parents are also urged to keep children at home if they are unwell and contact their health provider if they have any measles symptoms.
Kerikeri High School has been a focus, with its production Monsters on the evening of Wednesday, September 17, listed as a close-contact location of interest, with attendees urged to contact Healthline urgently on 0800-611-116.
Exams at the school, on the mornings of September 3 to 5, are also listed as historical locations of interest.
Kerikeri High School deputy principal Daniel Wise said as the new term starts on Monday, people should keep an eye out for measles symptoms and ring Healthline if concerned.
Students should not be coming to school if they are unwell, with most people pretty responsible about staying at home, he said.
Barnfather agreed, saying everyone should be looking out for symptoms with a possibility of undetected cases of measles in the community.
“We are strongly encouraging everyone to watch themselves for measles symptoms, such as a fever, cough, runny nose, sore eyes and a rash – especially if they’ve visited any of the locations of interest that have been published so far – in case they may have been exposed to measles."
Barnfather also said public health is “deeply grateful” to all those who have got in contact about measles over the past few days.
She encouraged everyone to respect privacy and be kind to each other.
“Whānau who are affected are working closely with health staff and sharing valuable information to help protect their community and all of New Zealand.”
Just 63% of Northlanders aged from 0 to 25 have had two doses of the measles, mumps, rubella (MMR) vaccine and are fully vaccinated against measles, Barnfather said.
To prevent a measles outbreak, 95% of the population must be immune.
Northland is at greater risk because of the low vaccination rate, said Mataroria Lyndon, University of Auckland senior lecturer and clinical adviser for Ngāti Hine Health Trust.
The trust is working hard to offer vaccination clinics, including in rural areas where there are geographical barriers to access the jabs, he said.
Many other Northland health providers - including Health NZ, GP clinics and pharmacies - are also doing the same, Lyndon said.
“We know how rapidly measles can spread and we know how serious it can be in terms of ending up in hospital,” he said.
During the 2019 to 2020 measles outbreak, just over a third of the measles cases had to be hospitalised, with the outbreak spreading from New Zealand to Samoa, where 72 people died.
Lyndon said health officials still remember those cases and how serious the outbreak was.
Health New Zealand said measles can cause pneumonia, severe diarrhoea, brain inflammation (encephalitis), miscarriage or premature birth for those who are pregnant, and death - even in healthy children and adults.
It said the best protection for measles is immunisation.
Vaccination is especially encouraged for those heading overseas, with an escalating risk of measles globally including countries that Kiwis travel to frequently, like Australia, Indonesia and North America.
Barnfather said vaccinations are free for most people, including everyone under the age of 18 and those who qualify for free healthcare.
She urged people to view the list of immunisation clinics, available online by searching “immunisation clinics Northland”.
Measles symptoms include:
Anyone who develops symptoms should stay at home and contact their healthcare provider or call Healthline on 0800 611 116 for free advice 24/7.
Denise Piper is a news reporter for the Northern Advocate, focusing on health and business. She has more than 20 years in journalism and is passionate about covering stories that make a difference.