Public Health Update

September 2019

We’re updating our ways of sending information to you

In response to user feedback, this regular Update replaces the Public Health Information Quarterly, our previous printed publication for health professionals. Updates will be emailed to our lists of health professionals. To receive your Updates at another email address, please use the “subscribe” button above.

We have also updated the health professionals page on the CPH website to make it easier for you to find the information you need. Visit the Community and Public Health "health professionals" webpage.

Urgent public health Alerts will still be sent to medical practices by both email and fax.

Measles outbreaks are now centred on Auckland – and we’re likely to see more cases

Canterbury’s February-April measles outbreak included 38 confirmed cases and an unidentified index case. The outbreak measles strain was linked to the large current outbreak in the Philippines. Sixteen cases were hospitalised and one case was admitted to ICU. Cases ranged in age from four months to 54 years, with a median age of 23 years. Fifty percent of cases were unimmunised, 29 percent had only received one MMR, and 10.5 percent had received two MMRs (four cases had unknown immunisation status). The whole-of-health-system response included active case and contact follow-up by public health and hospital staff, and a prioritised vaccination campaign in primary care. The outbreak was declared over in early May.

There have since been three more cases of measles in Christchurch, all related to the Auckland outbreak. An 11 month-old baby, infected in Auckland, was notified in July 2019, and resulted in one further case in a family member in another household. And a 14 month-old child, also infected in Auckland, was notified in September. Contacts of all three cases have been actively followed up by public health staff and supported to quarantine themselves for their incubation periods.

The current Auckland-centred outbreaks now involve much larger case numbers, and we can expect to see further cases in our region. ESR’s weekly measles reports are available here, and the Ministry of Health’s latest advice is available here.

Notification of measles cases on suspicion allows public health staff to respond promptly to new cases.

Sporadic rheumatic fever cases continue in the South

Rheumatic fever is a preventable autoimmune consequence of a group A streptococcal throat infection, mainly affecting Maori and Pacific children and young people. Sadly, after an initial reduction in cases during the 2012-17 Rheumatic Fever Prevention Programme, national rheumatic fever rates have now returned to almost pre-2012 levels (view national rheumatic fever graphs).

Most cases of rheumatic fever occur in the North Island, but sporadic cases occur in the South Island, with two cases notified in Canterbury over the last 12 months. Common presentations of rheumatic fever in children include painful or swollen joints, choreiform movements, new murmur, shortness of breath, and heart failure.  Find out more on HealthPathways:

Canterbury            

South Canterbury

West Coast

Explore your community’s health and wellbeing with the Canterbury Wellbeing Index

The Canterbury Wellbeing Index was relaunched in an online format in 2018, and provides up-to-date information for agencies, communities and individuals working to support people’s health and wellbeing in greater Christchurch.  Sections include Our Wellbeing, describing the wellbeing of the greater Christchurch population, He Tohu Ora , focusing on Maori conceptualisations of wellbeing, and Our Population, describing the population of greater Christchurch.

Visit the Canterbury Wellbeing Index.