Health authorities in New South Wales and Western Australia have issued urgent public health alerts following the confirmation of measles cases in travellers who recently returned from overseas. The highly infectious and potentially serious disease has prompted warnings for specific exposure sites in Sydney and Perth.
Exposure Sites in Sydney and Perth Identified
NSW Health confirmed a case in a person who returned from South-East Asia, where significant outbreaks are occurring in countries including Thailand, Vietnam, and Indonesia. The individual was infectious upon arrival in Sydney on Friday, December 27.
The confirmed exposure locations are:
- Flight GA712 from Jakarta, arriving at Sydney Airport at 10:45am on December 27.
- The Sydney Airport International Arrivals Hall from 10:45am to 12:00pm on the same day.
- The Blacktown Hospital Emergency Department waiting room from 12:00pm on December 29 until 6:00am on December 30.
In Western Australia, health officials added two new exposure sites in the suburb of Beeliar, bringing the state's total measles cases to 60 over the past year. The WA sites are:
- Beeliar Hive Pharmacy between 10:15am and 11:15am on Saturday, December 27.
- Lagoon Medical Centre/Beeliar Medicare Urgent Care Clinic from 8:15am to 11:00am on the same day.
Authorities stress that these locations do not pose an ongoing risk, but anyone present at the specified times must remain vigilant.
Symptoms and Urgent Health Advice
Acting Director of Public Health for Western Sydney Local Health District, Dr Conrad Moreira, outlined the symptoms the community must watch for. "Symptoms to watch out for include fever, sore eyes, runny nose and a cough, usually followed three or four days later by a red, blotchy rash that spreads from the head and face to the rest of the body," he said.
The incubation period for measles can be lengthy. People who visited the Sydney exposure sites should monitor for symptoms until January 17, 2026, as it can take up to 18 days for signs to appear. For those exposed in Perth, the monitoring period is seven to 18 days post-exposure.
Dr Moreira urged anyone developing symptoms to contact their doctor immediately but to call ahead first. This precaution helps prevent potentially exposing other people in waiting rooms to the virus.
Vaccination is Key to Prevention
Measles is a vaccine-preventable disease spread through the air when an infectious person coughs or sneezes. Professor Allen Cheng, an infectious diseases expert, noted that just under half of Australia's measles cases are directly imported from overseas travel, with the remainder stemming from local transmission from those imported cases.
"The advice for adults is that if you’re going to go overseas, make sure you’re up to date with vaccines and, not just measles, but everything else as well," Professor Cheng advised. He emphasised the need to see a doctor well before departure, not at the last minute.
Dr Moreira reinforced the critical message for vaccination. "We want to remind the community to make sure they are up to date with their vaccinations. The measles vaccine can prevent the disease even after exposure, if given early enough," he stated. Anyone born after 1965 should ensure they have received two doses of the measles vaccine, a measure especially crucial before any international travel given current global outbreaks.
These latest alerts serve as a stark reminder for all Australians to check their immunisation status and take necessary health precautions before travelling abroad.
