Measles case detected in Palmerston North with no known source
A new measles case has been confirmed in Palmerston North, with health authorities unable to trace the source of infection. Officials are warning the public to be vigilant, particularly those who attended events in Wellington during the mid-July school holidays.
Why it matters
The inability to identify the source of the infection increases the likelihood of community spread, necessitating public awareness and medical vigilance.
A new measles case has been detected in Palmerston North.
Health New Zealand said the person tested positive with no connection to international travel.
It said there was no known source of the infection, which suggested there could be further unidentified cases in the community.
Health NZ were investigating possible sources of infection between the period of 4 and 18 July.
The Palmerston North resident spent time in Wellington over Matariki weekend, and it was possible they contracted measles there, it said.
"We are concerned that there could be more cases in the community that we are not yet aware of, so we encourage people who were out in Wellington over the weekend of 11 July to 12 July to be extra vigilant for symptoms of measles," Public Health medicine specialist Dr Sharon Sime said.
Get smarter about the news
Sign up free for a feed built around what you actually care about, Dive Deeper research on any story, and the full text of every article.
Create free accountAlready have an account? Sign in