• Twenty-two staff at Woolworths Kelston were exposed to measles after an infected person shopped at the store.
• The infected ferry worker also visited several public locations in Auckland while contagious.
• Health NZ advises checking immunisation status for those at the locations during exposure times.

Nearly two dozen staff at an Auckland supermarket have been exposed to the measles virus after a shopping trip by an infected person, with workers being sent home.

A Woolworths New Zealand spokesperson said 22 of their team had been identified as close contacts.

“We are following the advice of Health New Zealand and our team members have been sent home as needed.”

The infected person went into the store on the first Saturday afternoon in May.

Woolworths Kelston manager Narinder Singh said the impacted team were briefed this morning with advice from Health New Zealand.

Measles is a highly contagious disease that spreads easily from person to person by breathing in air after a person with measles has sneezed, coughed, talked or even breathed.

The measles virus can stay in the air even after the person with measles has left the room or area.

A Woolworths New Zealand spokesperson said they were notified by Health NZ yesterday that a person with measles visited the Kelston store on May 3, between 2.30pm and 4.30pm.

The infected person, a ferry worker who took multiple journeys across Waitematā Harbour on May 5, also used the stairwell and elevator of Auckland Downtown Carpark.

Fullers360 said they were following Health NZ’s guidance and referred further questions to them.

The locations of interest across Auckland

A Fullers360 spokesperson confirmed the case was a marine crew member.

The ferry worker had recently travelled to Asia, where it is believed they contracted the virus, but they were not infectious during their flight back home.

The infected person had visited several public locations in Auckland while they were infectious.

The locations and times that the Auckland measles case visited.

The National Public Health Service is asking people who were at these locations during the times to check their immunisation status.

“We are actively working with Health New Zealand and are following their guidance and protocols to ensure all necessary steps are being taken,” a Fullers360 spokesperson told the Herald.

“Staff who are considered to have been in possible contact with the known case in our crew are being contacted by Health New Zealand and will be guided by them on any further necessary steps.”

How severe is measles?

Measles is a serious and highly contagious illness.

It can also be spread after touching tissues, objects or other surfaces contaminated with an infected person’s nasal mucus and saliva.

Health NZ NPHS protection clinical director Dr Susan Jack said it can affect adults as well as children and babies.

Measles symptoms usually start within 10 to 14 days after the initial exposure to the virus.

Symptoms of measles include:

• fever (a temperature of at least 38C)
• cough
• runny nose
• sore, red eyes
• rash

The rash develops three to four days after the other symptoms. It appears as pink or red spots or bumps which start on the face before moving down the rest of the body.

Children under 5, pregnant women and people with weakened immune systems are at a higher risk of developing complications from the measles virus.

One out of three people with measles will be sick enough to need hospital care.

Complications include:

• ear infections
• runny poos (diarrhoea)
• lung infections (pneumonia)
• swelling of the brain (encephalitis) — this is rare but can cause permanent brain damage or death

How to protect yourself from measles

A Health NZ spokesperson said a person is considered immune to measles if:

• They have proof of two doses of the MMR vaccine
• They were born before 1969 or have evidence of having measles previously

Discover more

If you think you have measles, it is important to stay home and seek medical advice. Call your usual GP or you can call Healthline for free 24/7 advice and support.

People who are not immune to measles, or are unsure, can check with their healthcare provider about getting immunised.