A 3D depiction of the measles virus. There are currently 11 cases spread around the country. Photo: 123RF
A second measles case has been identified at one Wellington high school, as concern around the current measles outbreak continues to grow.
RNZ has seen an email from Wellington Girls' College which says those deemed close contacts to the new case will be contacted by health officials.
But the school's prizegiving will still go ahead.
It's one of two Wellington secondary schools with active cases, forcing hundreds of students to stay home while vaccination records are individually checked.
Primary schools legally have to keep vaccination records on hand, but soon high schools won't, even after the 2019 outbreak and the Covid-19 pandemic.
Professor Michael Baker Photo: Supplied / Otago University Wellington
Professor Michael Baker said he was worried because measles transmission was occurring and some cases weren't linked to overseas visits, and this situation was combined with low immunisation rates.
"Those two situations in combination means we are looking at the beginning of a measles epidemic unless we act very rapidly."
There were tens of thousands children vulnerable to the highly infectious virus, he told Morning Report.
In 2019 there were more than 2000 cases with a third of people ending up in hospital. He feared there might be more cases this time.
Some doctors had never seen a case of the serious illness because immunisation rates used to be so much higher and he wanted a return to this state "as fast as we can".
From next year it will be optional for high schools to check students' vaccination records and keep a register.
If high schools kept a record it would be "a nudge" to parents and the other benefit was quickly identifying who hadn't been vaccinated once there was an outbreak, Prof Baker said.
While there was a very good nationwide immunisation register, the country was "missing an opportunity" if it didn't also keep records in all schools.
Other countries, such as Australia, Canada, the US and the UK, kept records at high schools and also held immunisation clinics.
"Everything to do with immunisations is about having very good systems and these systems are used in many countries we compare ourselves with. It isn't necessary for schools in the future to maintain an immunisation register but I think we should still have a school check at all stages of school entry on vaccination status for children."
Meanwhile, a first time mother in Wellington says she's limiting social contact for her baby, amid the escalating measles outbreak.
Natasha, whose son hasn't reached the 12 months mark for his first MMR vaccine, says she's scared about the risks in the community.
"We will stop taking our boy out to public places so to supermarkets, to cafes, places where I guess we don't have control over the people around us and we won't be seeing people who we know aren't vaccinated."
The MMR vaccine is typically given at 12 to 15 months; children under 12 months are most at risk of measles and serious complications.
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