Of all diseases, measles is one of the most dangerous and contagious. It’s so infectious that, if you’re not vaccinated and come into contact with someone who has measles, you’re very likely to catch it and pass it on to others.
Measles spreads through coughing and sneezing. It can cause a rash, ear infection, diarrhoea, and seizures caused by fever.
In 1 in every 1,000 cases, it causes inflammation of the brain (encephalitis). Some people who develop encephalitis die, while 1 in 3 are left with permanent brain damage.
Measles can also lead to pneumonia, which is the main cause of death from measles.
If you get measles while you’re pregnant it can make you very sick and can harm your baby.
Measles is now the third most common vaccine-preventable cause of death among children throughout the world.
During New Zealand’s last measles outbreak in 2019, 40% of children who caught measles were admitted to hospital.
Mumps is an infectious illness caused by a virus. It leads to painful swelling in the salivary glands around the face.
In rare cases, there can be serious complications such as:
Mumps can cause swelling of the testicles or ovaries if infected after puberty. Effects on fertility are extremely rare in males and unconfirmed in females.
New Zealand had an outbreak of Mumps in 2017. This only settled and finally disappeared with the first COVID-19 lockdown because the disease wasn't able to spread easily.
For children, rubella is usually a mild viral illness that causes a spotty rash. If you catch it when you are pregnant, however, it can cause serious birth defects in your baby (such as deafness, heart defects, and brain damage).
