News
Measles alert issued in south-eastern Sydney
The alert has been issued in Sydney’s Sutherland Shire after a child in the area was diagnosed with the highly infectious disease.
Measles symptom onset often occurs after 10 days, but can sometimes take up to 18 days.
A child with measles travelled to a number of locations in the south-east of Sydney while infectious. The South Eastern Sydney Local Health District (SESLHD) has released a list of locations:
- Westfield Miranda – between Sunday October 28, 2.00–3.30pm and Tuesday 30 October, 2.00–4.00 pm
- Sylvania Heights Community Club – Monday 29 October, 10.30–11.30 am
- Sutherland Hospital Emergency Department – Wednesday 31 October, 4.30 pm –Thursday November 1, 4.00 am
- Sydney Children’s Hospital Emergency Department – Thursday November 1, 3.30–11.00 am.
The SESLHD advises people who were in these areas at these times to be mindful of any subsequent symptoms they may experience.
‘Anyone who was at these locations and who develops measles-like symptoms should consult their GP immediately,’ South Eastern Local Health District acting director of public health Dr Catherine Bateman-Steel
said.
Symptom onset, which includes fever, sore eyes and a cough, followed a few days later by a non-itchy rash, usually occurs after 10 days, although it can take as long as 18 days to emerge.
This alert is the latest in a
number of measles alerts in New South Wales this year, and highlights the importance of vaccination. But while child immunisation rates are reaching record highs, pockets of
vaccine resistance remain throughout Australia.
The RACGP is
firmly supportive of vaccination programs, and
emphasises the central role of GPs in providing immunisation advice and services.
‘It is of the utmost importance that as many Australians as possible are vaccinated,’ Immediate past RACGP President Dr Bastian Seidel
wrote in
newsGP earlier this year.
‘Let’s be clear: preventive health is the core business of general practice, and one of the most effective and life-saving interventions in modern medicine is vaccination.’
communicable diseases immunisation Measles public health public health alert South Eastern Sydney Local Health District vaccination
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