Large-scale measles outbreak in New Zealand

11:51   2 September, 2019

Over 960 new cases of measles have been reported in New Zealand from March to September, The New Zealand Herald reported.

According to New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, the country is currently facing the largest measles outbreak in two decades. A total of 963 confirmed cases of measles were recorded by September 2. In connection with the complication of the epidemiological situation, the prime minister urged residents to get vaccinated in specially open state immunization centers.

According to the national Health Ministry, in the next two weeks, doctors expect an increase in the number of cases, after which the measles outbreak will peak.

According to the WHO, measles is one of the most contagious diseases in the world. Its virus is transmitted from the patient through direct contact and through the air, infecting the mucous membrane of another person. Moreover, it remains active in the air or on the infected surface for another 2 hours. There is no specific treatment for measles virus.

Since 2016, the incidence of measles in the world has grown by over than30%. And the only region where it was declining was the West Pacific (according to the WHO) from Japan and China to Australia and New Zealand. However, the number of cases is already growing in all regions of the world in 2019.



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