Alarms raised for parents in two states after a baby and toddler are diagnosed with a highly contagious disease
- SA and NSW Health issue measles warnings
- Two new cases registered in Australia
- Measles has been on the rise in recent years
Parents in two states have been issued an urgent health alert after an infant and toddler were diagnosed with the highly contagious disease measles.
NSW Health issued an alert after a baby was diagnosed with measles after returning to western Sydney from India, while South Australia registered its first case in over three years after a three-year-old also returned from overseas with the infection.
Measles cases have soared in certain parts of the world due to poor vaccination coverage in recent years.
In western Sydney, the emergency department waiting room at The Children’s Hospital in Westmead, Argyle Street Medical Center in Parramatta and Westfield Parramatta have been identified as areas of concern.
NSW Health has advised anyone visiting these sites on March 27, when the baby was present, to consider getting vaccinated against measles if they are not already protected.
Health authorities have issued an urgent health alert after a baby and toddler were diagnosed with the highly contagious measles disease in NSW and South Australia
NSW Health director of communicable diseases Christine Selvey said young children are most at risk for the disease.
“Measles is a highly contagious infection and the most vulnerable are babies under 12 months old, who are too young to be vaccinated against it, other members of the community who have not been fully vaccinated and people with weakened immune systems,” said Dr Selvey . .
“Measles is easily spread into the air by coughing or sneezing by someone who is sick with the disease.”
Symptoms include sore eyes, runny nose, cough and fever and can occur in an infected person between now and April 14.
Three to four days after the first symptoms are registered, patients may develop a red and blotchy rash that starts from the head or neck and spreads over the body.
Anyone born after 1965 is urged to consider getting two doses of the measles vaccine if they have not been vaccinated.
Meanwhile in South Australia, the three-year-old visited the emergency department of the Women’s and Children’s Hospital in Adelaide on Thursday, as well as locations in Murray Bridge in the days leading up to it.
Measles cases have soared in certain parts of the world due to poor vaccination coverage in recent years. Symptoms include sore eyes, runny nose, cough and fever
Dr. Louise Flood, director of the state’s infectious disease control division, urged people traveling abroad to check their vaccination records.
“Immunization provides the best protection against measles and it is vital that everyone makes sure they have had two doses of the measles vaccine to protect themselves and the community,” Dr Flood said in a SA Health press release on Saturday.
“We encourage people planning to travel abroad to check their vaccination records and request the vaccine well in advance of travel, if there is no record that they received two doses and they were born in Australia after or during 1966 ‘, she said. said.