Second measles alert in two days after woman infected with the highly-contagious disease visits Sydney’s east and the inner west
- NSW Health confirmed a second case on Friday after a woman was diagnosed
- The patient is said to have visited the CBD, airport and inner-west suburbs
- Officials said the woman has been infectious since December 28
- Alert comes a day after a young man who visited Bondi was diagnosed
A second measles alert has been issued for Sydney’s inner west and the east after a woman contracted the highly-contagious disease.
NSW Health confirmed a second case on Friday urging residents to be aware of symptoms after the woman was said to have travelled to areas in the CBD, Sydney airport and inner-west suburbs.
‘This is the second case of measles in two days in a person who has not travelled overseas,’ NSW Health Acting Director of Communicable Diseases, Dr Christine Selvey, said.
‘This is a reminder for everyone to check that they are protected against measles, which is extremely infectious.’
Symptoms include fever, sore eyes and a cough followed three or four days later by a red, blotchy rash that spreads from the head to the rest of the body.
A second measles alert has been issued for Sydney’s inner west and the east after a woman contracted the highly-contagious disease (stock image)
The health department said the woman has been infectious since December 28 and warned people who were in the same place at the same time as the patient could be at risk of contracting the viral infection.
The woman is said to have travelled to Sydney International Airport, Flemington Markets, shops in Marickville, the CBD, and Mascot.
Symptoms of measles may take up to 18 days to develop.
The alert comes after a man, aged in his 20s, was reported to have been infected on Wednesday.
The man visited Sydney’s inner west, northwest and eastern suburbs while infectious in the past week, NSW Health said.
‘(He) had not travelled immediately prior to his illness and has no known links to previously identified measles cases,’ the statement said.
The man travelled from Wollongong to St Peters via Central on December 27, before travelling by train from Sydenham to Bondi Junction and taking a bus to Bondi Beach.
The alert comes after a young man was diagnosed with measles earlier this week and had visited Bondi Beach
He retraced the route about 5pm.
On Sunday the man caught a train from Sydenham to Berowra via Central about 11am before retracing the route about four hours later.
He also visited Marrickville Metro on Monday about 3pm before heading to a nearby GP on Tuesday.
Sydney public health expert Leena Gupta said the alert should serve as a reminder for everyone to check they are protected against measles.
The virus can survive in the air and on surfaces for a couple of hours.
‘It is possible that other people have been exposed to this case so everyone needs to be on the lookout for the early signs of measles,’ Dr Gupta said in a statement.
All people born since 1966 need two measles vaccinations. Those unsure whether they’ve been vaccinated in the past can safely have another dose.