Measles outbreak inevitable

Make sure your child is immunized against measles.

Rotorua has so far escaped the measles outbreak in the Waikato - but it could just be a matter of time until the city sees some cases.

Toi Te Ora medical officer of health Dr Phil Shoemack said he was surprised there had been no confirmed cases in the Lakes area yet as the number of confirmed cases of measles in Hamilton reached 84.

Dr Shoemack said a couple of weeks ago he would have expected the spread of cases to the area as inevitable and he was surprised there had been none. "Really it's only through fortune we haven't had any local cases."

Dr Shoemack said with school holidays coming up, and more people travelling, now was a good time for people to make sure immunisations were up to date.

He said while there were a few people who made the decision not to immunise their children, some people simply forgot to immunise or "hadn't got around to it".

Children receive the measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine in two doses at 15 months and again at 4.

Dr Shoemack said the rapid spread of the Hamilton cases were "definitely a concern" and it was never too late for people to make sure immunisations were up to date.

Those who suspected their children might have measles - which has symptoms including high temperatures and a rash that normally begins in the face before spreading - should phone their GP or Healthline for advice, to minimise the risk of it spreading through a doctor's waiting room.