28 Aug 2014

Waikato measles outbreak slows

1:46 pm on 28 August 2014

The Waikato has been free of new cases of measles for a fortnight, marking a pause in the outbreak that began in the region in May.

Since then 126 confirmed measles cases have been notified to health authorities.

After four weeks of no new cases, the outbreak will be declared over.

Almost half the confirmed cases were household contacts of an earlier confirmed case and were placed in quarantine before they became unwell.

About 80 percent of those with the infectious illness were aged between 10 and 20.

Waikato Population Health says the vast majority of cases were in people not immunised, with only four who were immunised getting the virus.

Approximately 110 cases of a clinical illness and rash-like-measles were investigated and found not to be measles.

A two-year-old being vaccinated against measles.

A two-year-old being vaccinated against measles. Photo: AFP

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