Measles scare for local firemen

A participant who stayed at SkyCity hotel over the weekend of May 22 to 24 and participated in the charity event at Sky Tower developed measles symptoms after returning home to Palmerston North.

Nearly 60 Western Bay of Plenty firefighters have become embroiled in a potential nationwide measles outbreak after taking part in the annual Sky Tower Stair Challenge in Auckland.

Bay of Plenty chief medical officer Neil de Wet said Toi Te Ora managed to collate a list of 58 local firefighters who might have been exposed at the event last weekend.

The Bay's public health service spent yesterday afternoon attempting to make contact with each person.

A participant who stayed at SkyCity hotel over the weekend of May 22 to 24 and participated in the Firefighter Sky Tower Stair Challenge developed measles symptoms after returning home to Palmerston North.

Dr de Wet said they were asking firefighters about their likely immunisation against measles and if people were possibly at risk, they would be asked to quarantine themselves at home until the end of the incubation period on June 6.

The standard incubation period for measles varies from 14 to 23 days.

It usually takes 10 to 14 days for someone who has caught measles to show symptoms.

"If they are unsure whether they are vaccinated, the best thing to do is contact their practitioner nurse or doctor," he said. "Measles tends to start off as feeling unwell and having a fever and maybe a cough as well as a runny nose and red eyes. The red blotchy rash tends to come from day three, four or five afterwards."

Dr de Wet said anyone who was born before 1969 or has had two doses of the MMR (measles, mumps and rubella) vaccine did not need to worry about contracting the illness.

However, if someone believed they might be infected, they were asked to contact their doctor but steer clear of any public space and groups of people.

"This is important - if someone thinks they might be getting measles, then phone the GP in advance. We don't want them to walk into a waiting room full of people," Dr de Wet said. "Measles is very infectious. It can be serious. Most people make a recovery but some people do get complications like severe diarrhoea or ear infections. About one in 10 might need hospitalisation. It can, in rare circumstances, like one in 1000 cases, cause inflammation of the brain."

Eight members from the Te Puke volunteer brigade were among the firefighters who took part in the event.

By yesterday afternoon, Te Puke fire chief Glenn Williams said they were yet to hear from any health officials.

It did not appear that any member of the brigade had become infected, Mr Williams said. Anyone who thinks they have been exposed can also contact Healthline on 0800 611 116 for advice.

The Firefighter Sky Tower Stair Challenge raises money for Leukaemia and Blood Cancer New Zealand. The charity's website said 750 people participated in the challenge.

For further information
Visit Toi Te Ora - Public Health Service: www.ttophs.govt.nz measles or the Ministry of Health website at http://health.govt.nz/measles or call 0800 221 555 and ask to speak to the on-call Health Protection Officer.

What do you think?
Have your say below or email editor@bayofplentytimes.co.nz, go to our facebook page, text 021 241 4568 BOP (message) or write to Private Bag 12002.
Response may be published.