Auckland pharmacy identified as location of intrest for measles cases

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A student infectious with measles was at Albany Senior High School for two days last week.

ZIZI SPARKS/FAIRFAX NZ/Stuff

A student infectious with measles was at Albany Senior High School for two days last week.

Auckland’s Albany Senior High School will start online learning on Friday after a public health order to close for two days over a case of measles.

On Wednesday, students and staff at the North Auckland school were asked to stay away as public health staff identify close contacts of the positive student.

A student was at the school while infectious with measles on Thursday and Friday last week. They have now been quarantined, along with all household contacts.

On Thursday evening, in an update from Te Whatu Ora sent to students and caregivers, and seen by Stuff, the public health agency said close to 80% of students had either one or two doses of the MMR vaccine.

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Te Whatu Ora on Thursday evening confirmed the source of infection for the person with measles was believed to be someone known to them, who had recently travelled abroad.

This contact has now been identified as a confirmed case. This person is a household member of the first case, and is also staying at home currently. This provides a link back to the border.

There is one exposure related to this confirmed case. This occurred at Chemist Warehouse Albany on 20/4/2023 from 2.45pm to 4.30pm.

This has been identified as a lower risk exposure event, as the case was present for a very brief time.

People who were present at the exposure event are encouraged to check their measles immunity.

At midday on Thursday, school principal Claire Amos released an update, informing parents that the school would be meeting with the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Education in order to determine the next steps.

“I know that many of you will be concerned about the potential loss of learning time.

“Tomorrow (Friday) all students will be provided with their classwork via their Google Classrooms.”

It is expected that all students learn from home on Friday, she said.

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“This is beyond the school’s control, and we too hope to be back face-to-face as soon as possible.”

Public health officials are asking all staff and students to check their immunity and stay home in quarantine if not immunised.

People are considered immune if they have evidence of two Measles, Mumps and Rubella (MMR) doses after 12 months of age, having previously had measles, or, were born before 1969.

Albany Senior High has five open-plan halls. The infected student was in all five halls while infectious, mixing with a number of year levels and classes.

Stuff employee and parent of a student at the school, Mei Leng Wong, said she was glad the school and the ministry had been proactive about the issue.

“They’re doing what they can to keep everyone safe, and I can’t fault them for that,” she said.

Wong said she counts herself lucky that her and her husband have the option of working from home, and that her kids are independent, as some families wouldn’t have those options to deal with a four-day weekend.

”Still, we are frustrated by what seems like a lot of disruptive events.

“I’m just thankful for wi-fi and fast internet which means they can keep up with school work.”

National public health service interim clinical lead Dr William Rainger​ said: “Although many students will be fully vaccinated with two MMR doses, we need to close the school, so we can check the immunity of all 100 staff and 900 students.

“Public health is working as quickly as possible to check immunisation records, and will be in touch with students who are not immune to ask them to remain in quarantine and to provide them with further advice and support.”

Rainger said staff and students who don’t have two MMR vaccinations are asked to stay home and not go to work, social or sports events, or have visitors.

The quarantine period for non-immune close contacts starts on May 4, and they are required to stay away from others in case they are developing measles for a further seven days.

The source of the infection is currently being investigated, as the case has not been overseas recently, which means they were infected by someone with measles within New Zealand.

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