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New measles case in Auckland – alerts issued over ferries and supermarket
The person at the centre of a new measles alert in Auckland is a crew member on a Fullers360 ferry, the company has confirmed.
Alerts have been issued after a new measles case was confirmed today, with people in Auckland asked to check if they could have been exposed.
Health New Zealand said the case was linked to overseas travel, and the person with measles had been at Woolworths Kelston, on Fullers360 ferries, and at an Auckland carpark during the time they could be infectious.
It was thought the person contracted measles while in Asia, however at the point they flew back to New Zealand, they had not yet progressed to the infectious stage of the disease, Health NZ said.
Both the person with measles and their household were being supported, and some were now in quarantine to help reduce the chance of the disease spreading.
Fullers360 has confirmed in a statement that it was a crew member.
“Staff who are considered to have been in possible contact with the known case in our crew are being contacted by Health New Zealand and will be guided by them on any further necessary steps. ”
Auckland Transport (AT) spokesperson Blake Crayton-Brown said AT was notified by Fullers early on Sunday evening.
He said it was unlikely that sailings will be affected on Monday.
Crayton-Brown said the Downtown Carpark on Customs Street – which has also been identified as a location of interest – is managed by AT.
He said they would be talking to staff on Monday to identify any staff who may have been exposed.
Crayton-Brown said they would also be speaking to HNZ to confirm which parts of the carpark were considered exposure locations on Monday 5 May – as there are several different locations for stairs and lifts in the building.
He said AT will be communicating to staff this week about the importance of being vaccinated for measles.
Measles is highly contagious, and can have serious long-term health consequences. File photo. Photo: 123RF
Measles is one of the most contagious diseases known, it can be fatal or cause serious long-term health consequences, particularly for young children. The virus can live in the air long after the infectious person has left.
About 10 percent of people who contract it get so sick they need hospital treatment, experts have previously said, and about 90 percent of those who come into contact with it and are not immune are likely to be infected.
New Zealand’s general immunisation rates – and community ‘herd protection’ have been dropping since the Covid-19 pandemic, with experts recently issuing stark warnings to vaccinate children as an epidemic could be one plane ride away.
Read more:
- The Detail – It’s a matter of time before measles comes to NZ, and experts are worried
- Measles epidemic warning as vaccination rates continue to lag
Locations for contact tracing:
People who were at these Auckland locations during these times are being asked to check their immunisation status and stay vigilant for symptoms (see below). Anyone not immune to measles, who was at these places, should phone Healthline on 0800 611 116 for advice as they are considered close contacts.
“If you are not immune, please stay at home until you have contacted Healthline,” Health NZ said in a statement.
Woolworths Kelston: on 3 May, 2:30pm – 4:30pm.
All people who were at the supermarket could have been exposed, Health NZ said.
Auckland Downtown Carpark, Custom Street: on 5 May, 1:30pm -2:30pm and 11pm – midnight.
Health NZ said the groups they are especially concerned with were people who used the stairs between 1:30pm and 2:30pm, or people who were in the lifts between 11pm and midnight.
Various sailings of the Fullers360 ferries on 5 May were affected
Fullers360 ferries sailings 5 May, up to 7:40pm: “Only those who used the toilets on these ferries are close contacts, everyone else should watch for symptoms,” Health NZ said.
- Auckland to Half Moon Bay: 4:15 pm
- Half Moon Bay to Auckland: 5:00 pm
- Auckland to Half Moon Bay: 5:40 pm
- Half Moon Bay to Auckland: 6.30 pm
- Auckland to Devonport: 7:20 pm
- Devonport to Auckland: 7:40 pm
Fullers360 ferries sailings 5 May, after 7:40pm: “All people on these sailings are close contacts,” Health NZ said.
- Auckland to Devonport: 9:00 pm
- Devonport to Auckland: 9:15 pm
- Auckland to Devonport: 9:30 pm
- Devonport to Auckland: 9:45 pm
Measles symptoms to watch for, and how to check your immunity status:
Your immunisation status can be checked on My Health Record (www.my.health.nz), or by calling your healthcare provider. The Vaccination Helpline can also check records for children and young people during business hours: on 0800 28 29 26.
Symptoms of measles include fever, coughing, runny nose and sore red eyes and (conjunctivitis), Health NZ said.
And people with measles can also sometimes get a rash, that starts on the face and gradually spreads down the body to the arms and legs, lasting up to a week.
rnz
The chief executive of the Parliamentary Service is confident there will be enough room to accommodate the increased number of MPs and their staff coming into Parliament.
On current numbers, up to 131 MPs could be sitting in the Chamber following the election, brought on by a record overhang result.
Clerk of the House of Representatives Dr David Wilson told the Spinoff that currently the debating chamber had enough chairs to seat 124 MPs – including the Speaker of the House – and work was being done to accommodate more by altering the seating arrangement.
In a statement, Parliamentary Service chief executive Rafael Gonzalez-Montero said planning for a larger Parliament had been going for “some time”.
“Now that the election results have confirmed an increase to the number of members we are looking at several options.
“We are confident we will be able to accommodate all members within the Chamber.”
VNP / Phil Smith
Gonzalez-Montero said office accommodation for members and their staff would be “stretched” for a short time, but the new Members’ Building was only a few months away from “practical completion”.
That building – located behind Parliament – was due to be ready to occupy in April next year and had capacity to accommodate around 30 backbench MPs.
“All members should be in fit-for-purpose accommodation from that point,” Gonzalez-Montero said.
Following the 2023 election, 123 MPs sat in the Chamber – a record number at the time. That decreased to 122 following the resignation of National MP Judith Collins.
Collins held the seat of Papakura and stepped down in May and Parliament voted against holding a by-election because it was too close to the election.
The election result also meant high-ranking National Party MPs like Chris Bishop, Paul Goldsmith, Nicola Willis and Gerry Brownlee – Speaker of the House and an MP for 30 years – would likely not make it back into Parliament.
Only resigning or retiring MPs were permitted to give a valedictory speech meaning none of them would get the chance to give a valedictory statement.
Asked if their would be special allowances for valedictories, Wilson said in a statement that normally only MPs were allowed to speak in the House but the House could suspend its own rules or temporarily alter them.
“It could do so to allow former members to address the House.”
Wilson said no such arrangements could be made until the next Parliament opened and members sworn in.
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