Of the 14 confirmed cases, three had been hospitalised, Health New Zealand says. Photo: Supplied/ US CDC
An epidemiologist says the number of measles cases over the next few days will tell the extent of the outbreak, with cases now linked to a third school.
Schools across the country are bracing for more measles, with known infections in Northland, Auckland, Manawatū, Nelson and Wellington.
As of Friday, 14 measles cases are confirmed across New Zealand, with thousands of others identified as close contacts.
Of the 14 confirmed cases, three had been hospitalised, Health New Zealand said.
But currently no one is in hospital due to the outbreak.
Auckland Grammar School is the latest high school linked to a confirmed measles case, as well as two in Wellington.
The latest case was present at the Auckland school during their infectious period, on Friday 24 October.
The health agency is warning students in years 9 and 10 may have been in contact with this person, and have been asked to quarantine at home while their immunity is checked.
Auckland Grammar School is the latest high school linked to a confirmed measles case. Photo: RNZ Insight/Teresa Cowie
Secondary Principals Association vice president Scott Haines said they had sent information to parents alerting them measles was circulating and was very contagious.
"It wouldn't surprise us to see further cases reported in coming days. Many secondary principals at the moment are planning for exactly that eventuality. It's coming isn't it."
Haines is the principal at Burnside High School in Christchurch, where senior students are among those across the country starting NCEA exams next week.
"The biggest risk factor remains those year nine and 10 students who are still coming to school every day, then of course managing those national exams. The nature of an exam setting means students are not sitting close together anyway."
Haines said schools were well-prepared to hold exams safely, during an outbreak.
Most senior students were on study leave but years nine and 10 were still attending school.
On Thursday Auckland Grammar was closed after learning someone with measles attended there last week.
Auckland Grammar headmaster Tim O'Connor. Photo: RNZ Insight/John Gerritsen
Headmaster Tim O'Connor said it allowed health officials time to check students' vaccination records.
"Students who are immune, their parents will receive a message from public health telling them that they are free to resume normal activities and can resume school on Monday," he said.
"For those who the public health don't hold records, they will communicate with those parents directly and provide them with further instructions."
The measles outbreak in 2019 infected more than 2000 people - about a third were admitted to hospital.
Modelling suggests as many as 150 people a week could get infected if an epidemic takes hold.
University of Canterbury senior lecturer in epidemiology Anna Howe said it was bad news if confirmed cases took off over the next few days.
"We still need another week or so to see whether or not we're going to have that take-off in case numbers but I think it has the potential to be at least as bad as 2019 if not worse."
She said health officials would be under enormous pressure to contain the outbreak.
Whānau Āwhina Plunket's chief nurse Zoë Tipa said the organisation was offering the Measles Mumps and Rubella vaccine to families of babies under one who were too young to be vaccinated themselves.
"It's really about the people around, it's that herd immunity, creating that kind of bubble around the littlest people in our communities and really trying to keep them away from people who are sick."
There are 20 vaccination clinics up and running throughout the country and parents can ring plunket line to book in.
As for the Auckland Grammar students off school on a Friday - headmaster Tim O'Connor hoped they would spent their time wisely.
"I'm sure many of them are very disappointed to be at home today but I'm sure they'll be taking the opportunity to study and, or, hopefully get immunised if they haven't been."
The government has made the measles vaccine free for everyone, including visitors, and is urging anyone with symptoms to report them.
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