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QUEENSLAND Health Authorities warned of a measles outbreak in Townsville. Two new cases were confirmed, both related to another man who was diagnosed with highly contagious virus last week.
The cases bring the number of measles notifications for Queensland so far this year to 11 – only three less than for all of 2018.
Measles is one of the most infectious diseases in the world and, in rare cases, can be fatal.
The two new cases are young men who are professional contacts of an average-aged man diagnosed last week on his return from Townsville after his return from Darwin.
Townsville Public Health Bureau Director Steven Donohue said people who may have been exposed to the latest cases have been contacted.
An image of a measles cell.
Dr. Donohue stated that one of the men had visited the great clinic of the large Northern Beaches resort in Townsville between 1pm and 1:30 pm on April 1st.
He also visited Totally Workwear in Currajong and Pet Barn Deeragun around noon, as well as at the Parry Nissan dealership in Sturt Street, Townsville, on April 1 from 12:30 to 1:00 pm.
The Acting Medical Director of Queensland Health's Division of Communicable Diseases, Jonathan Malo, said he was concerned that since measles is much less prevalent than previous generations, people were not aware of it. of the severity of a disease.
Dr. Malo said the complications could include pneumonia and encephalitis, an inflammation of the brain that can be fatal.
He added that people should check their immunization status.
Persons born after 1965 should have received two doses of the measles, mumps and rubella vaccine. The vaccine is free and available from general practitioners.
Dr. Malo said that people should especially make sure their vaccines are up to date before traveling abroad.
The symptoms of measles usually begin about 10 days after contact with an infectious person.
The first symptoms include fever, fatigue, runny nose, wet and painful cough, red eyes.
These are followed a few days later by a reddish and spotted skin rash. The rashes often start on the face and neck, then spread on the body.
People with measles symptoms should call before going to the doctor or the emergency department of a hospital so that staff can take precautions to prevent the spread of the virus to other people.
For more tips, call 13 HEALTH.
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