Due to an outbreak of measles in Auckland, the health officials have decided to vaccinate babies earlier. According to public health officials, the cases of measles increased by 28% in last one week. When in May, total 157 cases were confirmed as measles in Auckland, by the end of last week it reached up to 192.

Within last three weeks, twenty-nine people have been put in quarantine, whereas 23 people have been offered with hospital care.

This outbreak initially began in west of Auckland, but recently maximum number of cases have been reported in central Auckland; as told by the Auckland Regional Public Health Service.

This is the reason why Auckland medical officer of health, Richard Hoskins, has named this trend of measles to be an epidemic.

With health officials being highly concerned about the situation, along with other precautions and treatments they are trying hard to bring the first dose of the MMR vaccine to children between the age group of 15 months to one-year.

For passengers who were travelling via Jetstar JQ265 on Tuesday 13 September and by Air New Zealand 446 on Thursday 15 September, the health officials have warned to get the vaccination as soon as possible. Reason behind this is that there was a person with measles on these flights.