Medical Officer of Health Dr Craig Thornley is asking members of the public who visited the following locations at the relevant times, to find out if they are protected from measles and be aware of the signs and symptoms (more details below).
Thursday 10 October:
Jetstar flight JQ263; Auckland to Wellington; at 4.00pm
Wellington Airport: 5.20pm – 7.10pm
Platypus Shoes, 87 – 99 Manners St, Wellington: 6.30pm – 7pm
New World Chaffers, 279 Wakefield Street, Wellington: 1pm – 6pm
Be aware of the symptoms of measles from now until Thursday 24 October inclusive.
Friday 11 October:
Harvey Norman, 28 Rutherford St, Lower Hutt: 3.30pm – 5pm.
Aro Café, 90 Aro Street, Wellington: 10.30am – 10pm
Garage Project Taproom, 91 Aro Street, Wellington: 4.45pm – 6pm
Be aware of the symptoms of measles from now until Friday 25 October inclusive.
Saturday 12 October:
Home Café, National Library, 70 Molesworth Street, Wellington: 10.30am – 12 noon
Aro Café, 90 Aro Street, Wellington: 10.30am – 10pm
Baby Factory, 57 Vivian Street, Wellington: 10am – 11.30am
Backbencher Gastropub, 34 Molesworth Street, Wellington: 11.30am – 3pm
Be aware of the symptoms of measles from Saturday 19 October until Saturday 26 October inclusive.
Sunday 13 October:
Aro Café, 90 Aro Street, Wellington: 8.30am – 4pm
Palmers Garden Centre, 99 St Andrews Road, Plimmerton: 2pm – 4pm.
Harvey Norman, 19 Parumoana St, Porirua: 3.30pm – 5.30pm
Countdown Newtown, 3 John Street, Wellington: 7.30pm – 9pm
Lighthouse Cuba, 29 Wigan St, Wellington – 8pm screening of The Joker.
Be aware of the symptoms of measles from Sunday 20 October until Sunday 27 October inclusive.
Monday 14 October:
Aro Café, 90 Aro Street, Wellington: 10.30am – 6pm
Be aware of the symptoms of measles from Monday 21 October until Monday 28 October inclusive.
Tuesday 15 October:
Aro Café, 90 Aro Street, Wellington: 10.30am – 6pm
Garage Project Taproom, 91 Aro Street, Wellington: 4.45pm – 6pm
Be aware of the symptoms of measles from Tuesday 22 October until Tuesday 29 October inclusive.
Measles Symptoms
Symptoms include a high fever, runny nose, cough and sore red eyes. A few days later a rash starts on the face and neck, before spreading to the rest of the body.
"You are most at risk if you’re not immune to measles, either because you haven’t been vaccinated or you haven’t had the disease previously. People who are not immune may start experiencing symptoms over the next week," Dr Thornley says.
Anyone over the age of 50 years is considered immune as they would have been exposed to the virus as a child. Other people can check their Well Child or Plunket book for at least one measles mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccination.
Anyone who was at the above locations at the specified times, who feels unwell, should phone their doctor or call Healthline on 0800 611 116 for advice.
Measles is a highly infectious airborne disease that spreads easily through the air via coughing and sneezing.
If you do start to develop symptoms that could be measles, contact your doctor. Be sure to call ahead to prevent potentially infecting others in the waiting room.
Vaccination with the MMR offers the best protection against measles. One dose will prevent measles in 95 per cent of people, while having two doses will protect 99 per cent of people who have the vaccine.
For more information about measles, visit the Regional Public Health website (http://www.rph.org.nz/measles/) and the Ministry of Health website www.health.govt.nz/measles).
