Health authorities have reported three confirmed cases of measles in Christchurch, this month.

The first case acquired the infection from the other infected person who arrived in New Zealand from Sydney in January. The second case picked up the contamination during a visit to Melbourne to attend a wedding. The third person to get down with the measles is a secondary school student.

In all the three cases, sufferers were unimmunized, with small exception in one case, having been administered single Mumps and Rubella (MMR) vaccination.

This month, the fifteen more cases have been confirmed in the Auckland region and Wellington has reported two more cases.

The patient shows the symptoms of fever, runny nose and sore red eyes, discolored red rashes and spots on the inside of mouth in the later stages. One out every ten needs to be hospitalized affected by measles. The two dosages of MMR vaccine, each at age of around 15 months and 4 years, provide lifelong immunity against measles.

According to Dr. Ramon Pink, Canterbury Medical Officer of Health, these cases should act as powerful reminder to parents to ensure immunization of their children against measles. All caregivers who are concerned about their children health should check their children’s immunization record and contact their doctors, in case they are not yet immunized.

Measles is air borne disease and spread easily from person to person. There were total three outbreaks in years 2009 and 2010 but thanks to vaccination, it’s now rare in New Zealand.