A school on Auckland's North Shore has been forced to close for contact tracing after a student was confirmed as a measles case.
The Albany Senior High School student was at the school while infectious on Thursday, April 27 and Friday, April 28, Te Whatu Ora said this evening in a statement.
All household contacts are currently in quarantine.
While the source of the infection remains under investigation by Public Health, the student is believed to have been infected by someone with measles in New Zealand.
"The source of the student's infection is likely to be a person known to them who has recently travelled abroad," Te Whatu Ora said.
Symptoms of the highly contagious illness include fever, cough, runny nose, sore and watery 'pink' eyes, followed by a blotchy rash.
All of the school's 900 students and 100 staff are this evening being asked to stay away the from school tomorrow and Friday while public health staff identify close contacts. They have been asked to check their immunity and to quarantine if they are not immune.
"While the school is already closed for a teachers' only day tomorrow, information has been sent to the school community alerting them to the additional school closure on Friday."
People are considered immune if they have evidence of two Measles, Mumps and Rubella (MMR) doses after 12 months of age; have had measles; or were born before 1969. Staff and students will be contacted by Public Health.
"Although many students will be fully vaccinated with two MMR doses, we need to close the school so we can check the immunity of all 100 staff and 900 students," National Public Health Service interim clinical lead Dr William Rainger said.
"Public health is working as quickly as possible to check immunisation records, and will be in touch with students who are not immune to ask them to remain in quarantine and to provide them with further advice and support.
"In the meantime, we ask that staff and students who don't have two MMR vaccinations to stay home and not go to work, or social or sports events, or have visitors."
The quarantine period for non-immune close contacts begins on Thursday, May 4, and lasts for seven days.
Auckland Regional Public Health Service has instructed the school to close under the Health Act.
Albany Senior High School principal Claire Amos sent out an email to parents and caregivers this evening informing them of the case.
"We realise this news will be unexpected, please rest assured that we are working closely with the Ministry of Health and Ministry of Education and that we have a plan in place," she said.
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