Health New Zealand is urging communities to be on alert following the confirmation of three new cases in the Northland measles outbreak. This brings the total number of cases in the region to nine. As reported on Monday (29 September), there is also one confirmed but unrelated case of measles in the Queenstown area. Nationally 10 in total.

For people in the Northland, Queenstown and Cromwell communities it’s particularly important to keep monitoring themselves for measles symptoms, such as a fever, cough, runny nose, sore eyes and a rash – and to check the published Locations of Interest (external link) in case they may have come into contact with measles cases.

The National Public Health Service (NPHS) is actively managing the public health response, including contact tracing and public health follow-up.

NPHS is urging anyone who develops symptoms of measles at any time to stay at home and contact their healthcare provider or call Healthline on 0800 611 116 for free advice seven days a week, 24 hours a day.

Measles is a serious illness. It can cause pneumonia, severe diarrhoea, brain inflammation (encephalitis), and death — even in healthy children and adults. Even a typical case of measles can lead to people needing 1–2 weeks off work or school, and 1 in 3 people with measles may need to be admitted to hospital. Getting measles while pregnant can also lead to more severe illness, miscarriage, or premature birth. The best protection for measles is immunisation.

While the Northland measles outbreak and the case in Queenstown are unrelated to each other, all have links to recent travel to countries experiencing outbreaks. Health New Zealand is alerting the public to an escalating risk of measles globally including in countries New Zealanders travel to frequently such as Australia, Indonesia and North America.

It is an important reminder for anyone planning international travel to ensure they are up to date with two doses of the MMR vaccine which provides the best protection against measles. If you or your whānau have recently returned from overseas travel, please monitor for symptoms.

As children return to school on Monday, parents are urged to keep their children at home if they are unwell and contact their healthcare provider if they have measles symptoms. It’s also a good time for parents and families to 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.

Immunisations are free for most people in New Zealand, including anyone aged under 18 years old, with immunisation clinics available across the motu.

Northland update

  • Three new measles cases have been confirmed today, all of whom were previously close contacts. This brings the total number of Northland cases to nine.
  • One of the new cases was only identified as a close contact after they became infectious. This means they may have spread measles to others in the community without realising and through no fault of their own. Public health is tracing these locations now. Where people can’t be contacted directly at these places, they may be published as Locations of Interest so whānau and communities can make informed choices to protect themselves and others.
  • Exposure dates during exam time in early September have been confirmed at Kerikeri High School. Anyone who was at the school during these times and who has had a fever or rash should call Healthline on 0800 611 116 for free advice, even if they’ve now recovered. Interpreter services are available and whānau can request support in te reo Māori.

Measles symptoms – what to look out for

  • An illness that begins with high fever (over 38 °C), cough, runny nose, and sore red eyes (conjunctivitis).
  • A rash, beginning on the face and gradually spreading down the body to the arms and legs. The rash lasts for up to one week.

Check your immunisation status

For information about checking if you are fully protected against measles, visit info.health.nz/measles (external link) or call the Vaccination Helpline on 0800 28 29 26 (available 8.30 am–5 pm, Monday to Friday, except public holidays).

Now is a good time to check if you and your whānau are immunised.

Getting immunised with two doses of the Measles, Mumps and Rubella (MMR) vaccine (after the age of 12 months) is the best form of protection against measles. The MMR vaccine is free in New Zealand for anyone under 18 years old, and for people who are eligible for free healthcare.

You can book a vaccination appointment with a pharmacy, your doctor, nurse, or hauora provider. Visit info.health.nz/bookavaccine (external link) for a list of vaccination sites in your area.

Immunisation clinics are also available throughout New Zealand, check our website here (external link) for details.

If you aren’t immunised or aren’t sure, immunisation clinics provide a great chance to kōrero about immunisations and check if your whānau need them. There’s no need to book and you don’t need to be enrolled to drop in.