An urgent health alert has been issued for a major city after measles were detected in a child returning from Asia.
An urgent health alert has been issued after an infant infected with measles visited several locations in Sydney’s inner west and southwest.
Health authorities confirmed the nine-month-old had recently returned from Asia, where there has been an outbreak of measles in several countries including Pakistan and India.
NSW Health said people may have been exposed at the Five Star Coffee and Nuts grocery on Yerrick Rd in Lakemba, on January 12 between 3pm-5pm when the case visited the venue.
They have identified and contacted people who have been in close contact with the infant to arrange preventive treatment if required.
Dr Leena Gupta, Sydney Local Health District’s Clinical Director of Public Health, said the location posed no ongoing risk to the public.
He said people who had visited the Lakemba grocery were still urged to be on the lookout for symptoms.
“(They) include fever, sore eyes and a cough, usually followed three or four days later by a red, blotchy rash that spreads from the head to the rest of the body,” Dr Gupta said.
“It can take up to 18 days for symptoms to appear after an exposure.”
Measles is a vaccine-preventable disease spread through the air when someone who is infectious coughs or sneezes.
The most effective and safe protection is the common measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine, which is included on the National Immunisation Program (NIP) for children at 12 and 18 months of age.
It is also free in NSW for anyone born during or after 1966 who hasn’t already had two doses.
“This should be a reminder for everyone to check that they are protected against measles, which is very infectious,” Dr Gupta said.
“Anyone born during or after 1966 needs to ensure they have received two doses of measles vaccine.
A common symptom of measles includes a red, blotchy rash spreading from the head to the rest of the body. Picture: Supplied
“This is particularly important prior to overseas travel, as measles outbreaks are occurring in several regions of the world at the moment.”
In July last year, another measles scare erupted when a man unknowingly infected with the disease travelled through Melbourne and Brisbane airports.
According to Federal Department of Health Care data, the immunisation coverage rate for all Australian children at five years stands at 94.04 per cent.
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