A Hawke's Bay baby has been diagnosed with measles after visiting Auckland.
The baby is too young to have been immunised against the highly contagious airborne disease, which children are typically first vaccinated against at 15 months.
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Hawke's Bay District Health Board Medical Officer of Health Nicholas Jones said health officials are ensuring the infant's family and other close contacts stay in isolation.
He's warning anyone who visited New World Flaxmere between 5pm and 5:30pm on July 10 to ensure their vaccinations are up to date, as the baby was in the store during that time.
Public health officials are also contacting people who were in the waiting room of the Hawke's Bay Hospital emergency department between 8pm on July 12 and 2:30am on July 13, as well as July 16 between 4:30pm and 6:40pm.
"Anyone concerned, who had not yet spoken to a health official, could contact their family doctor or Heathline 24/7 on 0800 611 116," Dr Jones said.
"The most important message is, if you believe you or a family member may have measles, please stay at home and phone your doctor to alert them of your symptoms and allow them to make arrangements to assess you safely and without infecting other people, or call Healthline for advice.
"I would also urge anyone born after 1969 who is not fully immunised against measles to contact their doctor about having the free vaccine because it offers the best protection."
Vaccination rates for MMR have been failing to reach Ministry of Health targets, partly due to a movement that accuses them of being unsafe or causing autism.
Health professionals are adamant the vaccine is safe and links between vaccination and autism have been consistently disproven.
Newshub.
