NSW Health is warning airline passengers to be alert for symptoms of measles after a traveller was diagnosed with the highly contagious disease.
The traveller was infectious while on an international Jetstar flight from Thailand and a domestic Sydney-Melbourne flight with the same airline. The person then boarded a Virgin Australia flight to New Zealand.
NSW Health said the traveller was on the following flights:
- Jetstar JQ28 departing Phuket at 9:45pm on 18 March, arriving Sydney Airport’s T1 international terminal at 10:30am on 19 March;
- Jetstar JQ517 departing Sydney Airport’s T2 domestic terminal at 2pm on March 19, arriving at Melbourne Airport Terminal 4 at 3:35pm; and
- Virgin Australia Flight VA99 departing Melbourne Airport Terminal 2 at 6:35pm on March 19, arriving at Christchurch Airport at 11:35pm.
People who were on the same flights or in Sydney Airport’s international and domestic baggage carousels, customs, arrivals and departure areas between 10:30am and 2:30pm on 19 March have been urged to check for symptoms.
Director of the Communicable Diseases Branch at NSW Health, Dr Vicky Sheppeard said people are susceptible to measles if they have never had the disease in the past or have not received two doses of the measles vaccine.
“The measles-mumps-rubella vaccine is free in NSW for anyone born during or after 1966 who hasn’t already had two doses,” Dr Sheppeard said.
“If you’re unsure whether you’ve had two doses, it’s safe to have another,” she said.
Symptoms include fever, sore eyes and a cough followed three or four days later by a red, blotchy rash spreading from the head and neck to the rest of the body.
Measles is spread in the air through coughing or sneezing by someone who is unwell with the disease.
More information on measles is available on the NSW Health website at this PS News link.
