Two more cases of measles have been identified in Canterbury bringing the number of confirmed cases to seven.
The two new cases are a preschool-age child and a woman in her forties, the Canterbury District Health Board said in a statement this afternoon.
Medical Officer of Health Dr Ramon Pink said as the numbers of confirmed cases climb, the risk of getting measles increases for those not immunised.
Measles is a serious, highly infectious, potentially life-threatening disease and Dr Pink said people are infectious from five days before the onset of the rash until five days after the rash appears.
"People should stay in isolation from the time that they may have become infected until five days after the rash first appears," he said.
"This means staying home from school or work and having no contact with unimmunised people. If others in your household are unimmunised, they need to stay in isolation too for fourteen days from their likely first exposure."
Because measles is so infectious, it’s important people with symptoms don’t visit their GP or after hours clinics but phone their family doctor or general practice team for advice instead, to avoid infecting other people, he said.
"If you have had two MMR vaccinations or were born before 1969, you are considered immune to measles. Everyone else may be vulnerable to infection," Dr Pink said.
Those born overseas or who are unsure which vaccinations they might have had, should contact their general practice team for advice.
The measles vaccine and the appointment to have it is free to all those who are eligible for funded healthcare in New Zealand.
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