Abstract:
In 2019 New Zealand has seen an upsurge in measles cases, the largest for more than two decades. From 1 January to late September 2019 there have been over 1,500 confirmed cases of measles notified across the country of which over a third have been hospitalised. As of September, rates of measles in New Zealand were the second highest in the Western Pacific region at 152.4 per million, with only the Philippines having higher rates at 612.1 per million. With multiple imports and more than 12 recognised outbreaks in the first five months of this year affecting most regions, this should appropriately be called an epidemic.
