A Milford Sound woman has been confirmed as having measles - the first case of the highly infectious illness in New Zealand since May.
Health authorities are scrambling to identify how she contracted measles, and who she may have come in to contact with - the disease is infectious for at least 10 days.
Public Health South did not know if the woman had been immunised.
"If you think you have symptoms of measles it is vital that you do not visit your GP office, emergency department or after hours clinic,'' Southern District Health Board medical officer of health Susan Jack said.
"Instead, please phone your GP practice or Healthline for advice.''
Symptoms of measles include:
* A respiratory type of illness with dry cough, runny nose, headache;
* Temperature over 38.5degC and feeling very unwell;
* A red blotchy rash starts on day 4-5 of the illness usually on the
face and moves to the chest and arms.
``People are infectious from five days before the onset of the rash to
five days after the rash starts,'' Dr Jack said.
