Measles Outbreak in Christchurch School

Four Christchurch Boys High School pupils have been confirmed as having measles this week and another is suspected of having the disease.

Canterbury District Health Board’s Community and Public Health Division has been working with the school, pupils and parents to prevent the disease spreading further.

Measles, sometimes known as English Measles, is a viral infection that can lead to ear infections, pneumonia and/or diarrhoea.  Sometimes it can cause serious problems such as inflammation (swelling) of the brain.  

Canterbury Medical Officer of Health Dr Ramon Pink said, “the boys who are unwell are being isolated at home and their close contacts are being advised to stay at home for several days unless they have had two MMR immunisations which would give them immunity from the disease.”

“Those who have not been immunised should visit their GPs and receive their immunisations. It really is important for children to be immunised against this disease which can produce some serious complications,” he said.

All pupils and parents at the School are being told of the measles cases and have been asked to contact their GP if they see any signs of the disease which include fever, red eyes (conjunctivitis), runny nose, spots on the inside of the mouth and a rash which appears in days three to seven of the illness.

ENDS

Measles

What are the symptoms?

The disease begins with a fever, conjunctivitis (red eyes), runny nose and small irregular, bright red spots with a small white speck, on the inside of the mouth.   The characteristic red rash appears on the body on the third to seventh day and lasts for up to one week.

Diagnosis is confirmed by a blood test, throat swab or urine test.

How is it caught / spread?

Measles is one of the most highly infectious diseases and is spread by airborne droplets from sneezing, coughing or from direct contact with nasal or throat secretions.

• It takes 10-12 days after exposure for the onset of fever

• Another  2-4 days after the fever for the rash to appear

• The onset of fever and rash however may vary from 7-20 days.

A person is infectious from one day before the start of symptoms to four days after the appearance of the rash.

Although a child occasionally develops a rash after the MMR vaccination, the vaccine virus does not spread from person-to-person.

How is it treated?

Usually the only treatment is to relieve symptoms.  In particularly serious cases or those with Vitamin A deficiency, eg. malabsorption, vitamin A supplementation may be given.

It is important that a person with measles is kept at home until he/she is not infectious to prevent spreading it to others.

Can it be prevented?

Immunisation is the only effective means of preventing the disease and controlling it in the community. The measles vaccine is included in the MMR vaccination which is given at age 15 months and 4 years as part of the free childhood immunisation programme.  Immunised children occasionally still develop measles but it is usually not as severe as in the un-immunised cases.  Immunisation is 99% effective after the second dose.   Most adults are considered to be immune because of previous infection.

If a non-immune person gets vaccinated within three days of exposure he/she may not develop measles. 

If measles is suspected, the child should be seen by a doctor and kept away from other children.  He/she should be off school/preschool for at least four days after the appearance of the rash.  Un-immunised contacts who do not have a history of measles confirmed by a blood test may be excluded from school/preschool for 14 days after exposure.