Urgent measles warning for Perth after contagious disease spreads
Just days after the alert was first raised, a second measles alert has been issued for Perth.
Travelers on flight SQ225 Singapore to Perth on Sunday have been warned to watch for symptoms of the deadly virus after an infected traveler was on the flight.
Passengers are urged to monitor for symptoms for 18 days after arrival.
Western Australian health authorities are also urging anyone who was at Terminal 1 at Perth Airport between 5.30am and 6.30am on Sunday to also be vigilant for possible symptoms.
The latest case of measles in Perth is separate from the first case reported on Tuesday.
They recently returned from South East Asia and visited several public places in Armadale, south-east Perth, from November 30 to December 6.
Early symptoms to look out for include fever, fatigue, coughing, runny nose and sore eyes.
The red, non-itchy rash associated with measles usually occurs three to four days after the first symptoms appear – starting on the face before spreading throughout the body.
Passengers on flight SQ225 Singapore to Perth on Sunday are being warned to watch for measles symptoms (stock image of measles)
Those with symptoms are advised to call their GP or hospital emergency department before attending in person as all confirmed cases must be reported to the health department.
“Several countries around the world are experiencing measles outbreaks,” the warning said.
‘People traveling to these countries are at risk if they do not have immunity against the measles virus.’
Measles typically develops 10 days after exposure to the virus and can range between 7 and 18 days.
Anyone who was in the Perth Airport terminal on an early Sunday morning should also be vigilant
If someone visited an exposure site during the dates and times below, they do not need to monitor for symptoms until between 7 and 18 days after the visit.
It is estimated that there were 10.3 million cases of measles worldwide in 2023, representing a spike of as much as 20 percent from 2022 figures, according to estimates from the World Health Organization and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The two organizations released a joint statement last month, saying “inadequate vaccination coverage is driving the rise in cases worldwide.”