Health officials are urging Northlanders to make sure they are protected against measles amid fears an outbreak hitting other parts of the country could spread north.
Medical Officer of Health at Northland District Health Board Clair Mills said 238 cases of measles have been reported this year so far from Auckland, Waikato, Bay of Plenty, Lakes, Hawkes Bay, Taranaki and Wellington, with over 100 cases from a recent outbreak in a high school in Hamilton.
Measles is easily transmitted and with a Hawke's Bay measles sufferer recently visited by people living in Northland Dr Mills said it is probably only a matter of time before measles spreads north, especially with school holidays approaching.
She said measles was spread by tiny droplets in the air and is very infectious, easily spreading to those nearby. The first symptoms - fever, cough, runny nose and red eyes - can be mistaken for a cold, with the rash (appearing on the face and neck and spreading over the body) three to five days later.
Dr Mills is urging people to ensure their measles vaccinations are up-to-date, saying immunisation is the best protection from this potentially serious disease.
