The New Zealand secondary schools' rugby league tournament has been cancelled because of measles.
Photo: 123rf.com
The latest national figure for measles, from the Institute of Environmental Science and Research (ESR), is 895. Auckland accounts for 759 cases of the higly infectious disease.
The Auckland Regional Public Health Service said the number was 143 higher than this time last week.
There are 79 secondary sports championships involving more than 20,000 students due to kick off across New Zealand from Monday.
The league tournament was due to be held in Takanini South Auckland.
New Zealand Rugby League (NZRL) chief executive Greg Peters said because the measles had been most prevalent in South Auckland, they did not want to risk exposing those travelling for the tournament.
He said it was an unfortunate outcome because the secondary schools tournament is one of the most exciting events.
NZRL general manager of wellbeing Nigel Vagana said although it was sad to call of the championship, people were more important.
"I'd say there'd be a lot of dissapointed kids out there missing out on this opportunity but unfortunately it was out of our hands.
"We didn't want teams travelling up from the South Island and potentially getting crook or getting crook and taking it back down there."
He said NZRL had spent much of the morning making the decision and was now working through the logistics.
It was supporting teams to cancel flights and bookings.
Those working in head office today were were a bit flat but were keeping things in perspective, Mr Vagana said.
"At the end of the day we're more than a game…so the people come first."
NZ Secondary School Sports Council chief executive Garry Carnachan said the organisation had been keeping in close touch with health authorities and has passed on their advice, including asking for proof of vaccination from travelling children and parents under 50, and excluding children with any measles symptoms.
"We have discussed with a number of schools who are saying they have a number of non-immunised students who might make their team non-viable and so they'll be considering their positions individually around that."
About 11,500 intermediate students from 369 schools across New Zealand and the Cook Islands, Samoa, Tonga and Fiji have signed up for the AIMS games which start in just over a week.
Its chair, Henk Popping, said about 800 students were not vaccinated or did not know their immunisation status, but the tournament could not stop them coming.
"I guess if we could we would do that, unfortunately we don't think we can and so we're giving the strongest advice to those families as we can to their schools and asking the schools to make sure that they are contacting every one of their students who are in that position."
Mr Popping said students with measles should stay away from the games.
Meanwhile, Counties Manukau District Health Board is rolling out a measles vaccination programme for 34 high schools.
