There have been 18 cases of measles since mid-January when people who came down with measles in the Auckland region since an Emirates flight arrived from Brisbane.

According to Auckland Regional Public Health Service, ARPHS, 15 was the figure of last week and there was one case waiting to get confirmed and under investigation were five more.

On February 18, a flight that arrived from Kuala Lumpur carried another confirmed case.

ARPHS medical officer of health Sheryl Jury said, “Efforts were being made to find the people on the Malaysian Airlines flight who were sitting around the measles sufferer, to check their immunity. Any passengers were asked to contact the ARPHS healthline or phone their doctor.”

It was also added that more important at the moment was that measles did not spread any further and it was an illness that was serious leading to over 10 per cent cases needing hospital treatment.

Christchurch is already fighting from the consequences of an earthquake and it was important at the moment that measles did not become dominant in the area.

People who are susceptible are being contacted by ARPHS and advice on the disease is being provided to people.