Measles In Flight Exposure--New Zealand Follow-Up

I previously posted that a passenger traveling from Dubai to Auckland was confirmed to have a case of measles at the time of the flight. The locations of many passengers sitting around the infected individual were not known at the time. As of 1 February 2011, ProMed reports that the Auckland Regional Public Health Service has issued a warning after 7 cases of measles have been confirmed in young Aucklanders. The infected individuals range from ages 3 to 16. Four of those individuals were on board the Brisbane (via Dubai) to Auckland flight of 11 January 2011. Health officials do not expect another wave of measles infection to spread through the area due to high immunization rates in the country.

In New Zealand the MMR vaccine is free and given to children in two doses (one at 15 months and another at 4 years). For measles and rubella, the vaccine has been shown to be 99% effective.

Owen Marecic