English measles outbreak which began early last month has now
affected 13 Otago people aged from 4 to 22 years.
Medical Officer of Health for Otago Southland Dr John Holmes
said new cases could all be linked to the original four which
turned up in an unvaccinated family which had travelled to
Vietnam in January.
Dr Holmes said he was keeping an open mind on the possibility
of more cases and it was important that if doctors thought an
illness was measles that they ordered relevant blood tests.
The illness is considered rare in New Zealand, with 12 cases
recorded last year.
Three of the new cases occurred in Logan Park High School
pupils.
Parents and caregivers were notified last week by letter and
provided with information about the illness.
None of those people who had contracted the disease had
required hospital treatment, Dr Holmes said.
People needed to be aware they could have flu-like symptoms
before the rash appeared (between the third and seventh day
of the illness).
They are infectious from one day before the beginning of the
first day of illness until four days after the rash appears.
The incubation period for the illness is about 10 days, but
it can take longer than that for the rash to appear.
Logan Park High School principal Jane Johnson said one of the
year 10 boys who had contracted the illness had been with a
group on the Spirit of New Zealand yacht and it was a matter
of establishing who within that group had not been immunised.
The parents concerned had been mindful about watching their
children for signs of the illness.
The family involved in the original outbreak was not from the
school.
Parents did not appear to be "at all over-anxious" about the
matter.
The school had acted responsibly and was working closely with
its public health nurse .
She was "pretty optimistic" the school was on top of the
problem.
Dr Holmes said it was a good time for parents to check their
children's vaccinations were up to date.
About 85% of those born since October 2005 have been
vaccinated.
Babies are considered protected by their mother's antibodies
and do not receive their first vaccination until 15 months,
followed by another dose at four years.
elspeth.mclean@odt.co.nz
