'Those In Their 30s, 40s, Most At Risk Of Measles'

A specialist in family medicine has warned that people aged between 33 and 50 should be the most concerned about the current measles outbreak in Hong Kong, because they may be most at risk of catching it.

Dr Daniel Chu says this is because vaccination policies between the late 1960s and early 1980s meant many people were left only partially protected against the disease.

People who are older than 50 are likely to have already been exposed to the illness, while those under 33 are likely to have had the full vaccination required.

Some 20 people have been diagnosed with measles in the SAR in the past few months – that's more than the annual figures over the past five years.

Among the latest cases, five of those infected all work at the airport or in the aviation industry.

But Chu told RTHK's Frances Sit that staying away from Chek Lap Kok would not help people avoid catching measles.

"All that counts is that you need to have proper immunity. If there's a certain number of patients who are carrying measles and working in the airport, they need to go home, they need to travel, they need to take the MTR, they need to take a bus or taxi. They are going to spread it anyway," Chu said.

He said if people don't want to catch measles, they need to arrange vaccination.

In November last year, the World Health Organisation warned there has been a resurgence of measles worldwide, with collapsing health systems, complacency and a rise in "fake news" about the vaccine to blame.

In severe cases, the highly contagious disease can lead to complications such as pneumonia, blindness and swelling of the brain.