Plane passengers exposed to measles on flight JQ237
Plane passengers exposed to measles on flight JQ237
from Auckland to Christchurch departing on 6 June 2019 and
from Christchurch to Auckland onFlight JQ236 departing on 8
June 2019
A passenger
arriving in Christchurch on Jetstar Flight number
JQ237 from Auckland on 6 June has been
confirmed as having measles. While still infectious, they
also flew back to Auckland on flight JQ236 on 8 June.
This person travelled while infectious, and the
Canterbury Community and Public Health team wants to alert
all passengers and crew on this flight that they have been
exposed to measles:
• Jetstar Flight JQ237
left Auckland at 3.55pm on 6 June local time and
arrived in Christchurch at 5.20pm
• Jetstar Flight
JQ236 left Christchurch at 1.55pm on 8 June
local time and arrived in Auckland at 3.20pm.
Anyone who travelled on these flights who isn’t sure they have been fully immunised should check their immunisation status with their General Practice team/family doctor. You are only fully protected if you have had two doses of the MMR vaccine, had clinically confirmed measles, or if you were born before 1969. Any passenger or crew on JQ237 on the 6 June or on JQ236 on 8 June who is not fully protected should stay at home and remain isolated until 22 June.
Dr Alistair Humphrey, Canterbury Medical Officer of Health says this means staying home from school or work and having no contact with unimmunised people.
“They can return to work if they are still not unwell on Saturday 22 June,” says Dr Humphrey.
Anyone who becomes unwell with the follow symptoms over the next week should phone their doctor for advice:
• A respiratory type of illness with dry cough, runny
nose, headache
• Temperature over 38.5C and feeling
very unwell
• A red blotchy rash starts on day 4-5 of
the illness usually on the face and moves to the chest and
arms.
At risk passengers from these flights should not go to their general practice or to the hospital unless it is an emergency or they are advised to do so by a doctor or nurse as they will infect more people. In Canterbury you can call your own GP team after hours and be put through to a nurse who can provide advice at any time of day or night – or people from outside Canterbury and living elsewhere in New Zealand can call Healthline on 0800 611 116.
Measles
Facts
• Measles is a highly infectious viral
illness spread by contact with respiratory secretions
through coughing and sneezing
• Symptoms of measles
include:
o A respiratory type of illness with dry cough,
runny nose, headache
o Temperature over 38.5 C and
feeling very unwell
o A red blotchy rash starts on day
4-5 of the illness usually on the face and moves to the
chest and arms.
• People are infectious from five days
before the onset of the rash to five days after the rash
starts.
• Infected persons should stay in isolation –
staying home from school or work – during this
time.
• The best protection from measles is to have two
MMR vaccinations. MMR is available from your family practice
and is free to eligible persons.
• People are
considered immune if they have received two doses of MMR
vaccine, have had a measles illness previously, or were born
before 1969.
• Anyone believing they have been exposed
to measles or exhibiting symptoms, should not go to the ED
or after hours’ clinic or general practitioner. Instead
call your GP any time, 24/7 for free health advice.
More information about measles is available at https://www.health.govt.nz/your-health/conditions-and-treatments/diseases-and-illnesses/measles or the New Zealand Immunisation Advisory Centre.
ENDS