Measles on flight
In a flight from Brisbane that arrived in Auckland two weeks ago, a child was confirmed to have measles and has been taken to hospital. Five other cases of the virus have been confirmed. At present a further 100 cases are being investigated by the Auckland Regional Public Health Service.
The service was informed last week of four infected passengers on Emirates Flight EK434, which arrived in Auckland at 5.30pm on January 11. According to Medical Officer Dr Richard Hoskins, two further cases of the highly contagious virus had been confirmed and others were likely. He said, “All of the confirmed cases are young people aged 5 through to 16 years old, and one of those was hospitalized because it was so severe…They have almost certainly caught measles on the plane from the infectious cases. Measles is very easily transmitted from one person to another through the air, for example, while walking past the passengers with measles, or while waiting in the airport gate lounge.”
Measles is caused by a virus that spreads via droplets in the air. Dr. Hoskins said due to the highly contagious nature of the virus, anyone who had been in contact with the infected people might now be infected themselves. Dr Hoskins said, “It is extremely contagious. If you even breathe in the air of someone who has it and exhales near you, you could catch it.” Once a person gets the disease, he or she may need to be isolated. Dr Hoskins said measles was very serious and 30 per cent of people who caught it developed complications. The only way to be immune was to keep up to date with immunizations or to have had measles before, he said.
The Public Health Service is trying to contact anyone who has come into contact with the people who have the confirmed cases of measles. Any person on the flight who is infected would have started showing symptoms of fever, lethargy, runny nose, moist cough and sore red eyes, followed a few days later by a blotchy red rash. The person should see their doctor or call Healthline on 0800 611 116 as soon as possible he said.
On the other side of the Tasman Queensland Health has issued a measles warning after a young man carrying the virus visited a popular Brisbane shopping centre. The infected man visited the Westfield Chermside Shopping Centre at Chermside, in Brisbane’s north, on January 19.
The 21 year old had caught the infection from three infected passengers on a flight to Brisbane earlier this month as he was returning from overseas. The trio did not get off at Brisbane. The man attended The Prince Charles Hospital on Tuesday.
Queensland’s Chief Health Officer Dr Jeannette Young said the man was contagious when he visited the popular shopping centre and could have infected others. She said, “We know he was in the food court, and he transacted some business at the ANZ Bank…We urge anyone who was at the shopping centre on Wednesday, January 19, and especially anyone who was at those two locations within the complex, to ensure they are protected against measles and to seek medical advice if they develop symptoms.”
Dr Young urged anyone born during or since 1966, who has not had two documented doses of Measles, Mumps, Rubella (MMR) vaccine or had proven measles, to visit their local GP for a free extra vaccination.
Urgent call for increased measles vaccination in the EU/EEA