An urgent health warning has been issued after a traveller with measles landed in Melbourne, visiting a busy McDonalds and multiple high-traffic shops along the Great Ocean Road.
The returning traveller was infectious and arrived from overseas on Tuesday June 25, before visiting a McDonalds near the airport, toy shops and grocery stores in the southwest of Victoria.
It is the 11th case of measles in Victoria this year.
Measles is a highly infectious viral illness which spreads person-to-person, and can lead to uncommon but serious complications, such as pneumonia and brain inflammation.
Anyone who was at the same stores as the traveller is urged to monitor for symptoms for the following two weeks.
Anyone born during or since 1966 who does not have documented evidence of having received two doses of a measles-containing vaccine, or does not have documented evidence of immunity, is at risk of measles.
Unvaccinated infants are at particularly high risk of contracting measles.
Possible exposure sites, movements of infected person:
June 24 – Departed from Singapore Changi Airport at 8:10pm
June 25 – Arrived Melbourne International Airport, Terminal 2 at 5:25am
June 25 – McDonalds, 173 Mickleham Road, Westmeadows (near the airport), from 7:00am to 9:00am
June 25 – Coles, Colac from 11:00am to 12:00pm
June 26 – Toyworld Warrnambool, 3:00pm to 3:50pm
June 27 – Friendly Grocer, Port Campbell, 11:00am to 11:40am
June 28 – Port Campbell Hotel, Port Campbell, 5:00pm to 7:00pm
June 28 – Friendly Grocer, Port Campbell, 6:30pm to 7:30pm
Victoria Department of Health issued the warning on Wednesday, June 3.
The virus spreads through droplets, contact with nose or throat secretions, as well as contaminated surfaces and objects.
The measles virus can stay in the environment for up to two hours.
Symptoms of measles include fever, cough, sore or red eyes, a runny nose, and feeling generally unwell, followed by a red rash.
The rash usually starts on the face before spreading down the body. Symptoms can develop between seven to 18 days after exposure, the health department advises.
Outbreaks of measles have been recently reported in Asia – including Indonesia and India, Africa, Europe and the UK, the Middle East and the US.