A measles caution was issued to passengers aboard flights between Auckland and Palmerston North last week.
The flights in question are:
The warning comes after a passenger flew while infectious, but before they knew they had measles.
Auckland Regional Public Health Service Clinical Director, Dr Julia Peters, says fellow passengers and anyone in Auckland or Palmerston North’s domestic terminals around the time of the flights, should watch for signs of measles.
"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," Peters says.
Measles is a highly infectious airborne disease that spreads easily through the air via coughing and sneezing.
Symptoms include a high fever, runny nose, cough and sore red eyes. A few days later, a rash may start on the face and neck, before spreading to the rest of the body.
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.
If you were on the aforementioned flights or in the terminals and are unsure whether you’re immune to measles, talk to your doctor or call Healthline on 0800 611 116 for advice.
For more information about measles, visit Auckland Regional Public Health Service's
