Authorities praise family with measles for alerting officials
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123RF
A Wairarapa family of three with measles did the right thing by contacying officials early, health authorities say.
The National Public Health Service is supporting the family and their close contacts, who are isolating.
One visited the Pak'nSave
supermarket in Masterton on Tuesday and Thursday mornings
last week.
They also visited Carterton Library that same Thursday morning.
Health officials said anyone who had visited the locations should consider themselves a casual contact and monitor for symptoms.
Wellington Medical Officer of Health Dr Annette Nesdale said the family had been overseas and called officials as soon as they thought they might have measles.
"Healthline gave them really good advice around how to visit the emergency department without posing any infection risk to staff or other patients," Nesdale said.
Nesdale said people who were at the locations of interest at the specified time should check their vaccination status.
"That's really important for two reasons. One is, if you're not currently protected, now is a really good opportunity for you to find out and get an additional dose or start your measles vaccinations if you don't have it," Nesdale said.
Officials would not say which country the family had visited.
They said people in the region who had recently returned from overseas should watch for symptoms such as a high fever, runny nose or sore, red eyes and a rash which began on the face and gradually spread down the body to the arms and legs.
Nesdale said the rash could typically last for about a week.
"Measles is a serious and highly infectious illness, which can affect adults as well as children and babies.
"Please phone ahead before visiting your doctor or healthcare provider so the provider can take precautions to prevent measles spreading," Nesdale said.
South Wairarapa mayor Martin Connelly said he didn't want the community to be concerned but he agreed with health authority's calls for people to check their measle vaccination status.
"Measle vaccines are kind of a new thing [and] vaccines have come under the spotlight light a bit but in a bad way in my view because vaccines clearly are one of the most deepest and efficacious ways to avoid quite a large number of illnesses and diseases," Connelly said.
The MMR vaccine against measles, mumps and rubella is free to anyone under 18 and people who are eligible for free healthcare.
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