Following reports that an overseas traveller visiting Sydney had been diagnosed with measles earlier this month, NSW Health have confirmed that another two people have also contracted the airborne disease.
Worryingly, NSW Health state that each of these three people have “spent considerable time in the Sydney metropolitan area while infectious”, prompting the government body to issue another Christmas measles warning.
Each of three people diagnosed with measles visited multiple locations across the city, between November 26 and December 15, such as:
Inner-city hospital emergency departments
Restaurants and shops in the CBD, Ultimo, Bondi, Bondi Junction, Leichardt, Double Bay, Chatswood and Marrickville
Public transport on routes in the centre, north and east of the city
GP clinics and medical centres in George Street, Sydney, Darlinghurst, Leichardt, Camperdown and Bondi
Signs and symptoms of measles typically include:
Dry cough
Fever
Runny nose
Sore eyes
A cough
These symptoms are then followed by a red and blotchy skin rash that appears first on the face and hairline, and then spreads to the body about 3-4 days later.
Measles can cause serious, sometimes fatal, complications like pneumonia (infection of the lungs) and encephalitis (swelling of the brain).
Parents of infants or others who are not fully vaccinated against measles have been advised to watch for any symptoms.
If you, or someone you know, is showing symptoms, seek medical assistance immediately.
