More measles cases

Canterbury’s measles outbreak has taken two more casualties as the number of confirmed cases reaches 22.

Canterbury medical officer of health Dr Alistair Humphrey is calling for diligence as the disease affects people all over the region and ‘‘several’’ have needed intensive care. ‘‘It’s everywhere.

‘‘You can no longer say it’s North Canterbury,’’ he told media yesterday.

The Canterbury District Health Board’s (CDHB) aim is now to contain the disease within Canterbury.

About 100,000 vaccines would be distributed by general practices, Humphrey said.

Priority will go people aged 1-29 who have not been vaccinated at all. Following that, doctors will prioritise a second vaccination for children who have had one.

‘‘The third priority is all the adults between 29 and 50 who are keen to make sure they’re fully immune,’’ he said.

‘‘We’re going to do the more vulnerable people first.’’

Of all cases in Canterbury so far, about half had been in that 29 to 50 age bracket, Humphrey said. This was likely due to only one, less effective vaccine being available in the 70s and 80s.

Still, under-vaccinated small children were most at risk.

People will be notified if schools, preschools or other institutions have had cases. The CDHB could not tell concerned people not to go out but Humphrey asked people to be ‘‘mindful’’. ‘‘If you’re not fully vaccinated or your children are not fully vaccinated, there is a risk if you go somewhere where large groups of children are congregated.’’

The CDHB could not say how the outbreak started as the index case – the first patient – had not been identified.

However, it was likely to be someone who travelled from overseas.

Humphrey urged people to take measles seriously and ensure they got vaccinated. The disease kills one in 100 people in developed countries.

‘‘Everybody is well, there’s nobody in hospital [now] as far as I’m aware.

‘‘There have been people in hospital, there have been people in ICU.

‘‘There will be some people who get very ill and when you get sick it’s really just supportive care because it’s a virus and we can’t really treat it. It is worth mentioning, I think, that some people have been very sick, but it’s also worth mentioning they’ve recovered.’’

Of all who had contracted the disease so far, not one had received both MMR vaccines, Humphrey said.

‘‘It’s not always because they’ve chosen not to or forgotten about it.

‘‘Some are children who are too young to have had two, and obviously quite a few people are in the 30 to 50 bracket and didn’t know they were supposed to have two.

‘‘If you have two, it protects you. If you don’t have two, you’re vulnerable.’’

The outbreak had been tough, busy and ‘‘frustrating’’ for medical staff, especially as ‘‘they’ve not got all the vaccine they need straight away’’.

‘‘Most GPs now are making sure people who think they might have measles are ... checked out in the car park.’’