The Health Department has issued a new measles alert as the outbreak spreads to yet a third state of Australia.

A third measles alert has been issued for Brisbane and the Gold Coast after a Victorian traveller visited Queensland’s southeast while infectious.

Queensland Health say the person travelled to Brisbane from Melbourne on Jetstar flight JQ57 on September 22.

The patient then spent two days in the south Brisbane suburb of Kangaroo Point before heading to the Gold Coast.

During their time on the Gold Coast, the patient visited a medical centre in Broadbeach on September 26 and Robina Hospital on September 28.

Various shops and cafes in Surfers Paradise, Broadbeach and Burleigh Heads were also visited during the time the person was infectious up to September 30.

Health officials are warning people born after 1966 may not be properly vaccinated and could therefore be more susceptible to the illness.

They have warned that those born after 1966 who have no records of receiving two measles vaccines, are more susceptible to the disease.

Two cases in NSW

Yesterday doctors warned people in Sydney’s Northern Beaches and Parramatta to watch for measles symptoms following the confirmation of a new case.

The Northern Sydney Local Health District (NSLHD) today issued an alert after a Northern Beaches man contracted the illness over the weekend, most likely after a visit to Melbourne.

The man visited several locations in Sydney’s north and Parramatta while infectious, including Warringah Mall in Brookvale, Cromer, Manly Vale and Parramatta between September 23 and 26.

A second warning was issued later on Tuesday by the South Eastern Sydney Local Health District after a case of measles in Sutherland Shire.

The second patient had visited the Cronulla Mall on September 25, the Royal Hotel on September 26 and Sutherland Hospital on September 29 and October 1, to name a few locations.

11 cases in Victoria

Last week we shared that there was an alert issued for fans who attended the Richmond win over Greater Western Sydney have been alerted to look out for the signs and symptoms of the highly infectious disease, reports 7 news.

Health authorities say two people, an adult man and an adult woman, had visited a number of places in the past week while they were infectious, before they were diagnosed.

On Saturday one of these people attended various Richmond hot spots including Church Street, Victoria Street.

They were also one of the 94,258 people to walk through the gates of the MCG before taking a seat on level four near gate five.

Anyone developing symptoms is advised to ring ahead to their GP or hospital first and tell them that they have fever and a rash.

On Friday another two further cases of measles were confirmed in Melbourne, with a total of eleven cases diagnosed in the past two weeks.

Victoria’s Chief Health Officer Professor Charles Guest said a common factor linking the eight cases was the Collins Square building in Collins St at Docklands.

People who work in or around the area, or other identified places where those who were infected with the illness have been during their infectious period, need to be aware of the signs and symptoms of the disease, Professor Guest said.

Locations visited by confirmed cases during their likely infectious period but before they were diagnosed include:

September 20-22: Metro trains – North Richmond, Southern Cross, Murrumbeena and South Yarra Stations.
September 22: the Australian Ballet’s Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland at the State Theatre.
September 23: MCG – AFL Preliminary Final (Gate 5, Level 4); Greville St, Prahran; Chapel St, Windsor; Maribyrnong Boathouse, The Boulevard, Moonee Ponds.
September 24: Melbourne International Airport, Qantas Club Lounge (8-10am); Qantas flight QF 29 to Hong Kong; KMart Moonee Ponds; DFO Essendon.
September 20: Melbourne International Airport, Jetstar flight JQ 26, arriving from Denpasar.

Measles is transmitted by airborne droplets and direct contact with discharges from respiratory mucous membranes of infected persons and less commonly, by articles freshly soiled with nose and throat secretions.

Measles is highly infectious and can persist in the environment for up to two hours.

The incubation period is variable and averages 10 days (range: 7–18 days) from exposure to the onset of fever, with an average of 14 days from exposure to the onset of rash. The infectious period of patients with measles is roughly five days before, to four days after, the appearance of the rash.

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