NSW Health has warned travellers planning overseas trips to be fully vaccinated against measles following the highly contagious disease being found on a young man returning from Queenstown in New Zealand.
Acting Director for Communicable Diseases at NSW Health, Dr Christine Selvey said the latest case was the third measles case in NSW in as many weeks linked to Queenstown.
“New Zealand is currently experiencing a widespread outbreak of measles with over 1,100 cases notified this year, particularly from Auckland but also including 15 recent cases in Queenstown and nearby snowfields,” Dr Selvey said.
She said the man was believed to have been infectious on his return flight to Sydney on 31 August on Virgin flight VA162 arriving at the International Airport Terminal (T1) around 2.40pm.
She said people who had been nearby the man prior to his diagnosis should be alert for symptoms until the end of September.
“It can take up to 18 days for symptoms to appear following exposure to a person with measles,” Dr Selvey said.
“Symptoms to watch out for include fever, sore eyes and a cough followed three or four days later by a red, blotchy rash that spreads from the head to the rest of the body.”
She said local public health units were following up with people who may have been in contact with a measles case.
“Measles is one of the most contagious diseases for humans but two doses of measles-mumps-rubella vaccine provide lifelong protection against measles in 99 out of 100 vaccinated people,” Dr Selvey said.
Further information about measles including current alerts can be accessed on the NSW Health website at this PS News link.
