North Shore Times (New Zealand)
Mumps outbreak hits ‘lost generation’
A runaway mumps outbreak in the Auckland region is likely to continue into next year, as plans are put in place for a nationwide response.
Low vaccination rates, particularly among 10-29 year olds is fuelling the sky rocketing numbers.
Auckland Regional Public Health Service is currently discussing plans for a national campaign to vaccinate against mumps in conjunction with the Ministry of Health.
‘‘The number of cases is still rising and we can’t tell yet if the outbreak has peaked,’’ medical officer of health Josephine Herman said.
Given the spread of mumps through the community, it was likely the outbreak would continue into next year, Herman said.
Rieko Ioane, 20, was the most high-profile victim to be hit by the disease, with All Blacks Coach Steve Hansen saying Ioane - currently on tour with the team in the UK - had likely contracted mumps in Auckland.
More than 740 cases of mumps have been reported in Auckland since January, the highest number for 23 years.
About seven per cent of the cases have so far been serious enough to need hospitalisation.
The last similar outbreak of mumps was in 1994 when there were between 200 to 300 cases reported. Since then only handfuls of cases were reported each year, many from overseas.
Herman said people between the ages of 10 and 29 represented a lost generation to MMR vaccinations and was the likely reason behind the outbreak this year.
A generation born in 1988 reached the age where they would be eligible for their second MMR vaccination at age 11 in 1999, one year after a study published in British Medical Journal The Lancet falsely linked the vaccination to autism.
Compounding the problem, New Zealand health authorities also changed the timing of MMR vaccinations in 2001.
Instead of being given a second dose at age 11 children would now get their second dose at age four.
This meant many of those due to get the second part of their dose when they were 11-years-old likely missed out despite a ‘‘catchup’’ programme at the time, Herman said.