Health officials in NSW and Queensland have issued measles warnings after a case of the infectious disease was detected in Western Sydney and at Gold Coast Airport.
NSW Health said a person had arrived in Sydney on a flight from Vietnam, which is currently experiencing a measles outbreak.
Although the person was not infectious on the flight, NSW Health said that anyone who visited the same places as the person should monitor for symptoms.
Anyone who visited Family Doctors Berala, on Saturday, January 18 between 10am and 11.15am should check for signs of infection.
Queensland Health officials also said that a person with measles had been on the Gold Coast while unknowingly infectious.
They said that anyone on Qantas flight QF596 from Sydney Domestic Airport to Gold Coast Airport, which arrived at 9.30pm on January 17 should check for symptoms.
The person was also at Gold Coast Airport until about 10.15pm.
Gold Coast Health said the case had also been acquired overseas but did not specify in what country.
Measles is highly infectious and is spread by tiny droplets through coughing and sneezing.
It causes fevers, coughing, runny noses, and a red spotty rash and sore eyes a few days later.
Symptoms usually start around 7 to 10 days after contact with a person with measles, but it cant take 18 days for symptoms to appear after an exposure.
“We want to remind the community to make sure they are up to date with their vaccinations. Everyone should check that they are protected against measles, which is highly infectious,” South Western Sydney Local Health District Director of Public Health, Dr Mitchell Smith said.
“Anyone born after 1965 needs to make sure they have had two doses of measles vaccine. This is especially important before overseas travel. Measles outbreaks are occurring in several regions of the world at the moment.”
Health officials stressed that vaccination against measles is the most effective way for the community to protect themselves from measles.