A measles case was detected in Hawaiʻi last month — and it's not the only Pacific Island concerned about an outbreak. New Zealand is on alert after a measles case was identified in Auckland over the weekend.
The country's public health agency issued the alert after a ferry worker was identified as infectious with measles while at work and in public. Up to 90% of non-immune people — those who have not been vaccinated against measles or have not had it already — will be infected if exposed to the virus.
Radio New Zealand reports Pacific communities are particularly susceptible to the disease due to low vaccination rates.
In December, 70% of babies in the Pacific were fully vaccinated at age 2, according to health data. For Māori, the rate was 63%.
A measles outbreak swept Samoa in 2019, sickening thousands and killing more than 80 people, mostly small children.
Measles cases were also reported in American Samoa in 2023.
Medical experts say to prevent a measles outbreak, 95% of the population needs to be fully immunized.
