Qantas measles outbreak: Measles cases detected on flight from Jakarta to Sydney
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Urgent alert for dozens of passengers exposed to a highly contagious virus on board a flight to Sydney
- Measles was detected on a flight from Jakarta to Sydney
- Passengers on flight QFA4 urged to check symptoms
- New Zealand’s health agency warned kiwis on the flight
Passengers are being warned to check for measles symptoms after cases were detected on a Qantas flight that landed in Sydney.
Flight QFA4 took off from Jakarta, Indonesia, arriving in Sydney at 6:17 am on February 15 before flying to New Zealand.
Passengers aboard that flight or who traveled through Sydney’s domestic and international airports last Wednesday have been advised to look for symptoms including high fever, cough, runny nose, watery eyes and, in severe cases, a rash. red.
Those present at the Canberra Airport Domestic Arrivals terminal, including the baggage claim area, between 11am and 11:30am last Wednesday are also urged to watch for symptoms.
NSW Health confirmed that the original case, an ACT resident, developed the highly contagious infection while traveling in Asia.
Australian and New Zealand passengers on Qantas flight QFA4 that flew from Jakarta, Indonesia, to Sydney are being urged to check for measles symptoms after cases were detected.
NSW Health assistant director of communicable diseases, Dr Katherine Todd, said these locations do not pose an ongoing risk, but urged people who may be susceptible to measles and were present at exposure sites to be vigilant to the symptoms until March 5.
“Those most likely to be susceptible to measles are infants under 12 months of age who are too young to be vaccinated and anyone who is not fully vaccinated against the disease, which may include some adults,” Dr. Todd said. .
“If you develop symptoms, call your GP ahead of time to make sure you’re not waiting in the waiting room with other patients,” Dr. Todd said.
‘The measles, mumps and rubella vaccine is safe and effective protection against measles. It is free for anyone born during or after 1966 who has not already taken two doses. If you are not sure if you have taken two doses, it is safe to take another.
New Zealand’s public health agency, Te Whatu Ora, also issued a warning to Kiwis aboard the same flight on Wednesday morning.
The agency strongly urged those Kiwis to call the country’s health advisory service, Healthline, immediately if they have not already been contacted.
Clinical lead for New Zealand’s National Public Health Service, Dr William Rainger, said six passengers had been contacted, but there were 29 people whom health staff were still trying to contact.
The flight landed at Sydney International Airport at 6:17 a.m. on February 15 before flying to New Zealand (a COVID-19 testing clinic at Sydney International Airport is pictured)
NSW Health assistant director of communicable diseases, Dr Katherine Todd, said the measles, mumps and rubella vaccine (pictured) “is safe and effective protection against measles” for those who are not vaccinated .
Those on board flight QFA4 who are immunocompromised, pregnant and not vaccinated against measles or who have an unvaccinated child under 12 months of age are urged to contact their local public health unit.
Measles symptoms include fever, sore eyes, and cough, followed three to four days later by a red, blotchy rash that spreads from the head and neck to the rest of the body.
Measles is highly contagious and spreads through the air through a cough or sneeze by someone who is unwell with the disease.
Qantas declined to comment on the measles cases detected on the flight.