Patrizia Krieser From: Sent: Subject:
Jonathan Tudor <Jonathan.Tudor@health.govt.nz> on behalf of HNZ Outbreak Communications <outbreakcomms@health.govt.nz> Thursday, 16 November 2023 4:12 pm Measles Primary Care Update
Measles Primary Care Update – 16.11.23 Kia ora, This update is being provided to keep you informed about the recent Taranaki measles outbreak response, which began early this month following a PCR-positive measles case being confirmed. The case had been overseas during October and was considered likely to have acquired the infection while overseas. They then travelled while infectious on international and domestic flights back to Auckland and Taranaki. There was considerable effort by Public Health to identify and manage contacts of the case and to provide support for quarantine of close contacts where needed. Approximately 130 contacts of the case were identified, and all close contacts had completed their required quarantine period by 13 November. Given there have been no further cases or contacts identified, the formal public health response has now been stood down, although we are remaining vigilant given that further future outbreaks are expected – particularly as international and domestic travel picks up over the summer period and immunisation rates generally remain low. We particularly wish to thank all primary care providers across the motu who supported this latest response, and for your valuable help with expected future responses. Your ongoing support is hugely appreciated. We also encourage providers to continue to promote MMR immunisations wherever possible, supported by our efforts nationally. Funding for close contact testing and vaccination records Funding is available for primary care providers to undertake measles testing and/or consultation, along with retrieval of vaccination records of close contacts, when requested by Public Health. Work is underway to provide a clinical framework for the funding, which will include a mechanism for contracting services, defining pricing, and a claims process. We will ensure that the framework is able to be aligned with your current local claiming processes. Further details will be provided to primary care providers once the framework has been confirmed. Ngā mihi nui Jonathan Tudor Public Information Manager
Outbreak Response National Public Health Service 1
email | īmēra: outbreakcomms@health.govt.nz 133 Molesworth Street, Thorndon, Wellington 6011
Te Whatu Ora – Health New Zealand TeWhatuOra.govt.nz
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