ANKARA

New Zealand has quarantined dozens of people with measles infection to contain the risk of the virus spreading, state-run media reported on Friday.

Health authorities announced on May 11 that they had identified a measles case in Auckland, linked to overseas travel, according to Radio New Zealand (RNZ).

So far, authorities have reached 286 close contacts of the patient, and 78 people are in quarantine as a precautionary measure.

Measles is highly contagious, and up to 90% of non-immune people will be infected if they are exposed to the virus, however, 80% of New Zealanders are immune, according to RNZ.

The national clinical director of protection at the National Public Health Service, Dr Susan Jack, said that the infected person could infect 12 to 18 people in average.

"The vaccine is 99 percent effective after two doses, and for most people, there's no risk in having an extra dose if it's needed," Jack said.

*Writing by Islamuddin Sajid