U.S. Consulate created this alert
Alert Message for U.S. Citizens: Measles Outbreak
5 September 2019
Measles is circulating in New Zealand, particularly in the Auckland region. Please follow the Ministry of Education link for more details about the 2019 measles outbreak.
Measles is a disease caused by a virus that is spread through the air by breathing, coughing, or sneezing.
Measles virus is highly contagious and can remain so for up to 2 hours in the air or on surfaces.
Symptoms of measles are rash, high fever, cough, runny nose,and red, watery eyes.
CDC recommends that travelers to New Zealand (https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/destinations/traveler/none/new-zealand) protect themselves by making sure they are vaccinated against measles with the MMR (measles, mumps and rubella) vaccine.
Before departure from the United States, infants (6 through 11 months of age) should have 1 dose of MMR vaccine, and adults and children over 1 year of age should have 2 doses of MMR vaccine separated by at least 28 days.
The New Zealand Ministry of Education is advising those with travel plans to Auckland to make sure every family member has been vaccinated against measles prior to commencing travel, keeping in mind that the vaccine takes two weeks to become effective.
Visitors may wish to consult the NZ Immunization Schedule for general guidance. For more specific questions, contact a health care professional....


