Measles, a highly contagious virus, rarely surfaces in Australia, thanks to the widely accessible vaccination schemes that have proven effective in preventing outbreaks.

However, this doesn't mean the virus has vanished entirely from the country. On the contrary, it can occasionally rear its ugly head, as was recently discovered in Western Australia.

WA Health issued a health alert for locals after a person infected with measles returned from Bali and spread the virus to multiple individuals over two weeks.

Unfortunately, we don't have the full details of the patient's movements, but timestamps have confirmed that the person visited multiple locations.

WA Health is warning locals about the risk of measles after a traveller infected with the disease returned from Bali and visited multiple locations around the state. Credit: Shutterstock.

On Sunday, September 3, the infected individual spent more than two hours at the Royal Mail Hotel in Meekatharra, located in the state's mid-west, from 5:45 pm to 8 pm.

Then, the following Sunday, September 11, between 12 pm and 2 pm, the same person visited Spud Shed Kelmscott and Bunnings Armadale, two shopping outlets in the southern region of Perth.

Anyone present at these exposure sites during the specified times, as released by WA Health, may have been exposed to measles and should closely monitor themselves for any symptoms.

Unvaccinated adults, especially those with weakened immune systems like the elderly, pregnant women, and young children, are considered the most vulnerable.

Measles spreads through contact with an infected person, such as when they cough or sneeze nearby. It can also be transmitted through contact with virus particles that linger in the air or on surfaces, even after the infected person has left the area.

Typically, people who contract measles develop symptoms around ten days after exposure to the virus, although this incubation period can vary from seven to eighteen days.

Early warning signs of infection include fever, cough, a runny nose, and sore eyes, followed by a red, non-itchy rash three or four days later.

Measles can affect anyone, regardless of age, if they are not immune. You are considered immune to measles if you have had it in the past or if you have received a course of measles vaccinations.



Did you visit the locations on the dates and times mentioned earlier? If so, we urge you to contact your doctor as quickly as possible to get tested and receive treatment if necessary.

It's also important for the health authorities to be aware of any possible measles cases in the community; this will help them act quickly and keep the virus under control.

Key Takeaways

• WA Health has issued a measles alert after an infected traveller returned from Bali and frequented multiple locations in the state.
• The infected individual visited a Perth Bunnings, a grocery store and a pub in the mid-west over two weeks.
• People who attended the exact locations during specific times have been advised to closely monitor themselves for symptoms of measles.
• The health authorities have urged anyone who believes they might have measles to seek medical advice to prevent further spread of the disease.

What are your thoughts, members? Have you read or heard of any cases in your area? Let us know in the comments below.

 

[Trudi]

Yeah, like most kids, I had the measles when I was around 2 years old as did my older sister.

25 years later, my 5 yo son and 7 months old daughter got the measles the day after we spent a day in the snow. A few years later, my younger daughter had the measles and then in the mid 90s my youngest son did.