Passengers on board the China Southern Airlines flight CZ305 arriving at Auckland International Airport on Saturday 30^th January 2016 may have been exposed to measles.

“A passenger on this particular flight had measles and was infectious while travelling. It creates a health risk to other passengers on board,” says Medical Officer of Health Dr Richard Hoskins from Auckland Regional Public Health Service (ARPHS).  

China Southern Airlines flight CZ305 departed from China’s Guangzhou Baiyun International airport at 2am and arrived in Auckland at 5:50pm on 30^th January 2016.

If passengers on this flight are infected they will likely experience symptoms from around 6^th of February onwards. The first symptoms are a fever, and one or more of a runny nose, cough and sore red eyes.  After a few days a red blotchy rash starts on the face and spreads to the rest of the body.

“Passengers who feel unwell should immediately telephone their doctor or call Healthline on 0800 611-116 for advice. Measles is highly infectious and you could infect other people in the medical centre waiting room, therefore it’s very important to phone in advance,” says Dr Richard Hoskins.

The illness is infectious before the rash appears and is easily transmitted from one person to another.  You can contract the disease by walking past an infected person or sitting next to them at an airport gate or waiting room.  

ARPHS staff are busy contacting people who may have crossed paths with the infected traveller including passengers who sat nearby on the aircraft.

Measles is a serious illness, and one in 10 people with measles need hospital treatment.  There is a high risk of contracting the disease if you have not had the Measles, Mumps, Rubella (MMR) vaccination or if you have received only one dose of this vaccine.  Anyone born before 1969 is likely to be immune to the disease without having had the vaccine.

“Measles can not be treated once you get it.  The only way to protect from measles and the best way to avoid its complications is to be fully vaccinated. My plea would be for parents and families to check that their immunisations are up-to-date,” says Dr Hoskins.

“Measles is rare in New Zealand thanks to immunisation. We had two big outbreaks in 2011 and 2014 from people who were infected overseas. People tend to underestimate measles - the reality is it can be a nasty disease,” says Dr Hoskins.