Measles alert launched in metropolitan Melbourne following the visit of an infectious woman to the Australian Grand Prix

Health authorities have triggered a measles alert after an infected person has attended a number of public events in Melbourne, including the Australian Grand Prix.

The 40-year-old infected woman contracted the disease in the Northern Territory, where there is currently a measles epidemic.

The Victorian authorities said the woman may have been contagious when she went to public places in the Melbourne metropolitan area between March 16 and 18.

Thousands of Formula 1 fans crossed the doors of Albert Park last weekend for the Grand Prix and could have come into contact with this extremely contagious disease.

The woman visited the Jones stand, the two door and the food courts at the door on a Saturday.

She returned to the event the next day and attended the Fangio booth and the same doors.

Members of the public who were in Woolworths in Braybrook, in the western suburbs of Melbourne, are also of concern, on Saturdays between noon and 1 pm and on Mondays between 1 and 2 pm

The infected woman is isolated at the hospital where she is being treated.

"Anyone with signs and symptoms consistent with measles should be tested and notified to the department," said Victoria Health Alert.

"Suspicions should be especially high if they have attended one of the areas listed above and are unvaccinated or partially vaccinated against measles."

The people most at risk of contracting measles are children and adults born in 1966 or since 1966, who do not have documented evidence of the administration of two doses of a measles-containing vaccine or of proof of immunity.

Measles can persist in the environment for up to two hours and the infectious period of patients with disease occurs about five days before or even four days after the onset of rash.

Symptoms include fever, severe cough, conjunctivitis and a coryza, followed by a rash that starts on the face.