Health New Zealand | Te Whatu Ora has confirmed that a new case of measles has been identified on Waiheke Island in Auckland.

The case and their household are being supported by the National Public Health Service, with those most at risk now in quarantine to help reduce the chance of further spread.

The person with measles has travelled recently to Asia where they are thought to have caught the virus but was not infectious while flying home.

There are a number of public locations on Waiheke Island where the person has been while infectious.

1.Oneroa Four Square on five separate visits on 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9 November - between 3.15pm and 8.30pm.

2.Unichem Pharmacy 10 November – between 11.00am and 12.30pm.

The NPHS is asking members of the public at these locations at these times to check they have been vaccinated or are immune to measles.

Anyone exposed at these times should also watch for symptoms of measles and if they develop any, they should contact Healthline immediately on 0800 611 116 and stay home until they receive advice from public health services. 

Measles symptoms to be aware of:

- the illness 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.

If people don’t know their immunity to measles, they should contact their GP or healthcare provider.

The Vaccination Helpline on 0800 28 29 26 can also check vaccinations for children and young people. 

“Measles is a serious and highly infectious illness, which can affect adults as well as children and babies,” said Health NZ Medical Officer of Health Dr Lavinia Perumal. “The MMR vaccine is the only thing that prevents measles.”

Health NZ is continuing to undertake its case investigation and may identify other locations of interest that people in the community need to be aware of.

Further information about these locations will be shared on the Info.Health website from tomorrow.

If a person with suspected measles infection needs to seek healthcare in person from a doctor or healthcare provider, they should phone ahead and tell the clinic that they may have been exposed to measles. 

“Now is an important time to remind everyone to check if you and your whānau are immune to measles. You are considered immune if you have had two doses of the measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine, or you lived in New Zealand before 1969. If you are unsure of how many doses of MMR you have had before, for most people it’s safe to get immunised again,” said Dr Perumal.

The MMR vaccine is free in New Zealand for anyone 18 years or under, and for people who are eligible for free healthcare.

A list of vaccination services on Waiheke Island is available on Healthpoint .

People can check their immunisation records by logging onto My Health Record via https://my.health.nz/ or by contacting their local healthcare provider.

My Health Record is a secure website where most New Zealanders can view their immunisation records, from the year 2005 onwards. In the event of any difficulties, or for records prior to 2005, people should contact their local healthcare provider.

“Being immunised not only protects you, but also those around you from becoming seriously ill and from spreading the disease to others, including friends, loved ones and people in your community,” said Dr Perumal.

Information for people concerned that they have been exposed to the disease is available on https://info.health.nz/conditions-treatments/infectious-diseases/about-measles/measles.