Measles outbreak: Disease confirmed on international flight

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Another case of the measles aboard an international flight has been reported, as New Zealand continues to fight the worst measles epidemic in over two decades.

Auckland Regional Public Health Service (ARPHS) has been notified of a case of measles in a New Zealand passenger who flew between Auckland and Perth earlier this month.

The person did not know they had measles at the time.

Public Health Medicine specialist Dr Maria Poynter said people who may have been in contact with that person should be vigilant for symptoms of the highly infectious disease.

"It can take 7-14 days to start experiencing symptoms and you are most at risk if you're not immune to measles," she said.

"People become immune if they have been vaccinated or they have had the disease previously."

Measles is an airborne disease that spreads easily through the air via coughing and sneezing.

Anyone who was on the same flights, or in the airport departure or arrival areas around the same time as the case, should watch out for signs of measles from now.

Poynter said those symptoms include a high fever, runny nose, cough and sore red eyes.

"A few days later a rash starts on the face and neck, then spreads to the rest of the body."

The flight details

• The person departed Auckland for Perth on Air New Zealand flight NZ175 at 10.50am on Friday, September 6, landing in Perth about 2.20pm that day.
• The person departed Perth for Auckland on Air New Zealand flight NZ176 at about 7.25pm on Sunday, September 15, landing in Auckland at 5.35am on Monday, September 16 .

Since early July, there have been at least 10 confirmed flights, that used a New Zealand airport, where a person on board has had measles.

From the start of the year until today, there have been 1384 confirmed cases of measles across New Zealand, 1151 of these confirmed cases are in the Auckland region.