Measles case detected in NSW

A case of measles has been detected in New South Wales. It is the first time the highly infectious disease has been found in the state since February 2020.

In a statement, NSW Health said the person in their 50s caught the disease while in Asia, and developed symptoms after arriving in Sydney.

They spent time at these locations while infectious:

• St Andrew's Catholic Church Malabar for mass, Sunday 4 September at 10.30am
• Tyree Energy Building, University of NSW on Tuesday 6 September (all day)
• Lounge Restaurant, University of NSW on Tuesday 6 September, 12.15pm to 2pm
• Pacific Square, Maroubra on Wednesday 7 September, 9am to 11am

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Jeremy McAnulty, NSW Health's Executive Director of Health Protection, said the locations the person visited aren't an ongoing risk to the public but urged people who were present to be alert for symptoms until September 24.

"If you develop symptoms, please call ahead to your GP to ensure you do not wait in the waiting room with other patients," McAnulty said.

"This incident highlights the importance of ensuring that all people able to be vaccinated have received two doses of measles vaccine, particularly prior to overseas travel, as measles outbreaks are occurring in several regions of the world at present.

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"Maintaining high rates of measles immunisation within the community reduces the risk of measles being imported into Australia by returned travellers, and through herd immunity, reduces the spread of the virus locally if it is introduced."

Symptoms of measles include fever, sore eyes and a cough followed three or four days later by a red, blotchy rash spreading from the head and neck to the rest of the body.

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