Measles in New Zealand

Measles: 'Check Your Immunity'

Woman Begs After Husband, 45, Gets Encephalitis

Dubby Henry
NZ Herald


A 45-year-old man who wrongly thought he was vaccinated against measles is in hospital with swelling on the brain after catching the virus.  His wife has urged people to double-check they are vaccinated after her husband contracted the highly contagious disease 10 days ago.  The woman - who asked not to be named as the situation was still sensitive - told the Herald she wanted people to know measles could hit anyone and it could be fatal.  "This virus is horrific. If it can do this to a fit 45-year-old male I can't imagine how a child or baby would cope." . . . .

The woman said she had no idea what measles encephalitis was until doctors diagnosed her husband.  She was stunned when the doctor told her there was no treatment - they could only offer him support like keeping him hydrated and managing his pain.

"[He said that] as medical professionals, this is what we're trying to stop because once we get here this is the worst of it."  Doctors told her it was clear from the severity of her husband's symptoms that he hadn't been immunised.  Her husband's condition had improved in the past day or so. . . .

Medical facilities have run low on MMR vaccines but a fresh batch of 52,000 doses has arrived in the country and is being readied for distribution.  New Zealand's director general of health, Dr Ashley Bloomfield, said processes were being fast-tracked to ensure extra stock was distributed as quickly as possible.  . . . 

New Zealand's measles outbreak is now believed to have surpassed that of the United States.
  Since the start of this year there have been 1348 confirmed cases of measles notified across New Zealand, according to the Ministry of Health. Of those cases, 1120 were in the Auckland region.

The US has also been battling an outbreak of measles but it has been trending steadily downward since peaking in April.  As of September 6, the US-based Centres for Disease Control had recorded 1241 cases in the US this year, but from September 6-12 no new cases were reported.  That means it's likely New Zealand has now well surpassed the US figure.  An unusually high number of people - about 35 per cent - have been sent to hospital after contracting measles during this outbreak. Previous outbreaks had a much lower rate of hospitalisation.

Measles: Who should get vaccinated?

• Anyone who has not received at least one dose of a measles-containing vaccine or who has not already had measles is most at risk from the virus.

• The MMR vaccine is free to people born on or after January 1, 1969. Two doses give 99 per cent protection against measles.

• People born before this date are presumed to be immune as they are likely to have caught the disease when they were younger.

• Medical authorities are targeting vaccination efforts at children under 5, who are the most vulnerable to catching the disease and to complications.

• Pacific peoples and people aged 15-29 are also a priority as these are the groups where the disease is spreading the fastest.

• Vaccinating within 72 hours of exposure can help stop the disease's spread. DHBs are being asked to try and vaccinate susceptible close contacts of infected people within this timeframe if possible.