Auckland health officials urging parents of babies as young as one to be immunised against measles

The eligibility for the MMR jab has been lowered in the city from 15 months to 12 months amid the current outbreak.

Starship community nurse Leilani Hipa says three babies have become so sick, they've ended up in Starship Hospital.

She says they've got a high fever, diarrohea and are absolutely miserable.

Hipa says its entirely preventable and that's the message they're trying to get out to the community.

43 percent of all cases in Auckland have been for children under the age of five.