Auckland Regional Public Health Service (ARPHS) has been notified of passengers with measles on a flight from Samoa to
Auckland last week.
ARPHS Medical Officer of Health Dr Maria Poynter says people who may have been exposed on this flight should be vigilant
for symptoms of the highly infectious disease.
Flight details
- The flight departed Apia, Samoa, on Samoa Airways flight OL731 at 9.00 am on Monday 11 November, landing at 12.10 pm
in Auckland on the same day.
Passengers on the flight should check their immunity and watch for symptoms. "It can take 7-14 days to start
experiencing symptoms and 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," Dr Poynter says.
Dr Poynter says those symptoms include a high fever, runny nose, cough and sore red eyes.
"A few days later a rash starts on the face and neck, then spreads to the rest of the body," she says.
If you were on one of the flights and are unsure whether you’re immune to measles, talk to your doctor or call
Healthline on 0800 611 116 for advice.
If you do start to develop symptoms that could be measles, also contact your doctor. Be sure to call ahead to prevent
potentially infecting others in the waiting room.
Vaccination with the Measles, Mumps, Rubella (MMR) vaccine 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 or advice on measles, please call Healthline on 0800 611 116, or see the Auckland Regional Public
Health Service measles page or Ministry of Health website.
ENDS