NSW Health has issued a warning to communities in Western NSW to be aware for the symptoms of measles following a recent case from New Zealand found in Dubbo.
Director of Communicable Diseases at NSW Health, Vicky Sheppeard said that since then two new cases of measles had been reported in Western NSW, both with links to the Dubbo case, bringing the total number of cases in NSW to 40 since Christmas.
Dr Sheppeard said both the new cases were in young men who were unsure if they had been vaccinated against measles in the past. They had visited a number of locations in Dubbo, Walgett, Parkes and Wagga Wagga while infectious.
She said none of the locations visited by the men posed a continuing risk.
“However, people who may be susceptible to measles and were at the same locations at the same time as the men should be alert for signs and symptoms of measles until 18 May, as it can take up to 18 days for symptoms to appear following exposure to a person with measles,” Dr Sheppeard said.
“Symptoms to watch out for include fever, sore eyes and a cough followed three or four days later by a red, spotty rash that spreads from the head to the rest of the body.”
She said measles was a highly contagious disease, spread in the air through coughing or sneezing by someone who was unwell with it.
“Anyone who develops symptoms of measles should phone their GP to ensure they don’t wait alongside other patients before seeing their doctor,” Dr Sheppeard said.
“People born before 1966 are likely to have had measles as a child and are considered immune.
“For people born during or after 1966, the best protection against measles is receiving two doses of measles vaccine,” she said.
