WELLINGTON, May 13 (Xinhua) -- New Zealand's childhood immunization rates have reached their highest level in three years, with 80.2 percent of children fully vaccinated by 24 months of age, according to the Health New Zealand data on Tuesday.
Health Minister Simeon Brown highlighted a 4.5-percentage point increase since October, saying the improvement marks a significant step toward the government's target of 95 percent coverage by 2030.
"This is the highest rate in three years," Brown said, adding it reflected the impact of focused efforts by general practitioners and targeted community outreach.
The announcement comes amid confirmation of a new measles case in the largest city Auckland, reinforcing the importance of maintaining high vaccination coverage, the minister said.
"Measles spreads quickly and can be dangerous, especially for young children. Every child deserves protection from serious illnesses, and that protection starts with immunization," he said, adding immunization protects not just individuals but entire communities. Enditem
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