Two more airport staff have contracted measles, bringing this year’s total to 36 cases, the Centre for Health Protection announced today.

A 37-year-old man had fever on March 28 and rash on March 30. He consulted a general practitioner on March 28 and sought medical treatment at Princess Margaret Hospital Accident & Emergency Department on March 30.

He could not recall measles vaccination history, and had no travel history during the incubation or communicable period.

The other case involves a 24-year-old woman who got fever on March 26 and rash on March 29. She had received two doses of measles vaccination.

She travelled to Shenzhen during the incubation period but had no travel history during the communicable period.

Both of them did not contact measles patients during the incubation period. They visited a number of public places during the communicable period.

The Department of Health said it expects the measles outbreak at the airport will not end in the near future, adding the control measures there including vaccination and blood tests will continue until further notice.

Noting the current tight supply of measles vaccines around the globe, the department said it has to reserve vaccines for people who are most in need and arrange vaccination for those who do not have sufficient immunity against measles.

From today to April 4, the vaccination quota for measles vaccination stations at the airport is set at 500 doses a day.

Airport staff who have laboratory evidence of testing not positive against measles antibody will be eligible for vaccinations.

Those who were born in or after 1967 without receiving two doses of measles vaccination and have not contracted measles before, and with evidence of living with babies aged below one or living with pregnant women will also be qualified. They will be provided with measles serology tests to identify the need for vaccinations, and the department can conduct blood tests for about 100 airport staff daily until April 4.

As at 5pm today, more than 7,500 people have received measles shots at the airport's vaccination stations.

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