Measles Alert Issued After Traveller Visits Mackay Region

The Mackay Public Health Unit has confirmed a case of measles in an overseas traveller who recently visited the Mackay region, prompting health authorities to reassure the community that the risk to locals remains extremely low.

Officials have confirmed the individual had very limited interaction within the community, with all contact tracing now completed and no local exposure sites identified.

The traveller made their way up the Queensland coast by car. Any locations of potential concern, should they be identified, will be published on the Queensland Health alerts webpage at www.health.qld.gov.au/newsroom/alerts.

Measles is a highly infectious virus spread through coughing and sneezing or by direct contact with secretions from the nose or mouth. Symptoms typically appear seven to ten days after exposure but can take up to three weeks to develop.

Symptoms
The initial symptoms of measles can include fever, lethargy, runny nose, moist cough and sore red eyes. This is followed a few days later by a blotchy, red rash which often starts on the face and then becomes widespread over the body.

What you should do
If you have any measles symptoms, you can arrange testing with your doctor or call 13HEALTH (13 43 25 84) for advice.

If you think you may have measles, it is very important that you avoid public spaces.

Please contact your GP and pathology services before attending so they can take appropriate precautions to avoid spreading measles to others. When you call, state that you have been in contact with a measles case.

Immunisation
Immunisation is an important step towards reducing the risk associated with vaccine preventable diseases and keeping people safe.

People who have been vaccinated against or previously contracted measles are very unlikely to catch the disease even if they have been exposed.

Those who are at highest risk of contracting measles include people who:
• have a weakened immune system or,
• were born during or after 1966 and have no documented evidence of having received 2 doses of a measles containing vaccine or• have not been infected with measles before

If you are unsure of your vaccine status, contact your doctor to discuss whether you may need a vaccine.

The MMR vaccine is free and available at GPs and participating community pharmacies.

For more information about measles, call 13HEALTH (13 43 25 84) or go to the Queensland Health website.

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The MMR vaccine is free and available at GPs and participating community pharmacies. Photo source: Shutterstock

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