Measles alert in Victoria after traveler visits busy Moonee Ponds shopping strip over several days

A measles alert has been issued after a returned traveller with the disease visited a busy shopping strip and used public transport in Melbourne’s north while infectious.

The 41-year-old had been in India and arrived in Melbourne on Monday, December 12 on Thai Airways Flight TG 465 from Bangkok.

The plane and Melbourne Airport International Arrivals terminal that morning are now exposure sites.

The traveller then visited a popular shopping strip in Moonee Ponds over several days.

The 41-year-old had been in India and arrived in Melbourne on Monday, December 12 on Thai Airways Flight TG 465 from Bangkok

Moonee Ponds Central, Woolworths, Aldi, Fresh on Young fruit shop and Umiyaki restaurant are exposure sites at certain times on December 12 and 13.

Alerts for various trains and buses have also been issued for Monday, Tuesday and Friday of that week.

Anyone who visited exposure sites and now has symptoms is asked to wear a mask and call ahead to a medical centre before seeking help.

Early symptoms of measles can appear to be like a cold and include a runny nose, cough, red eyes, fever and a rash that often starts on the face before spreading all over the body.

Six cases have been detected in Victoria since January 2022 in people who were not fully immunised and returned from overseas or were in contact with others who had been.

The traveller then visited a popular shopping strip in Moonee Ponds over several days. Moonee Ponds Central, Woolworths, Aldi, Fresh on Young fruit shop and Umiyaki restaurant are exposure sites at certain times on December 12 and 13