SINGAPORE: Travellers who arrived at Auckland International Airport on a Singapore Airlines flight last week might have been exposed to measles, said the Auckland Regional Public Health Service (ARPHS) on Wednesday (Feb 28).
Passengers on flight SQ285 from Singapore, which touched down at 11.45am (6.45am, Singapore time) on Feb 22, should look out for symptoms, said the public health agency on their website.
Those in rows 31 to 49 were closest to the measles case and are at highest risk, said Medical Officer of Health Dr Michael Hale.
There is also a possibility that anyone around the flight gate or baggage claim could have been infected.
Measles can be easily transmitted by just from walking past the passenger with measles, or while sitting near them in the airport gate lounge, said Dr Hale.
"If anyone who may have been exposed knows they don’t have immunity to measles, they can be vaccinated, and that could prevent the symptoms developing.”
Symptoms, which initially include fever along with a runny nose, cough or sore eyes, may appear tomorrow or over the eight days, said Dr Hale. This will be followed by a red blotchy rash after a few days.
ARPHS said it is attempting to contact people seated close to the case.
"The service is checking whether these passengers are susceptible to measles infection and offering advice which includes further immunisation, or possibly isolation to avoid spreading the disease," said ARPHS.
In an email to Channel NewsAsia, Singapore Airlines said that it is working with ARPHS "to ensure they have the information they require".
On their website, ARPHS said that one in 10 people with measles needs hospital treatment, with the most serious cases possibly resulting in deafness or swelling of the brain.
Read more at https://www.channelnewsasia.com/new...singapore-airlines-flight-to-auckland-9999346
Passengers on flight SQ285 from Singapore, which touched down at 11.45am (6.45am, Singapore time) on Feb 22, should look out for symptoms, said the public health agency on their website.
Those in rows 31 to 49 were closest to the measles case and are at highest risk, said Medical Officer of Health Dr Michael Hale.
There is also a possibility that anyone around the flight gate or baggage claim could have been infected.
Measles can be easily transmitted by just from walking past the passenger with measles, or while sitting near them in the airport gate lounge, said Dr Hale.
"If anyone who may have been exposed knows they don’t have immunity to measles, they can be vaccinated, and that could prevent the symptoms developing.”
Symptoms, which initially include fever along with a runny nose, cough or sore eyes, may appear tomorrow or over the eight days, said Dr Hale. This will be followed by a red blotchy rash after a few days.
ARPHS said it is attempting to contact people seated close to the case.
"The service is checking whether these passengers are susceptible to measles infection and offering advice which includes further immunisation, or possibly isolation to avoid spreading the disease," said ARPHS.
In an email to Channel NewsAsia, Singapore Airlines said that it is working with ARPHS "to ensure they have the information they require".
On their website, ARPHS said that one in 10 people with measles needs hospital treatment, with the most serious cases possibly resulting in deafness or swelling of the brain.
Read more at https://www.channelnewsasia.com/new...singapore-airlines-flight-to-auckland-9999346
