A young female tourist who has visited several major Victorian destinations over the past week may have exposed others to measles, with a warning for recent visitors to these sites to be aware of symptoms of the highly infectious disease.
The Department of Health and Human Services issued a measles alert for a range of locations on Friday. Anyone who visited Flinders Street Station, St Kilda Beach, Philip Island or the lookouts along the Great Ocean Road between March 3 and March 7 may have been exposed.
People who develop cold-like symptoms in the next two weeks are being urged to see a doctor to be tested. The disease has an 18-day incubation period, so symptoms could show up as late as March 21.
The distinctive measles rash usually begins on the face and spreads down the body.
The exposure risk stems from the young woman who visited the sites in the past week. She has been diagnosed with measles and is now being treated in hospital.
“People who develop illness over the next two weeks should alert their doctor or hospital emergency department,” Victoria's deputy chief health officer Dr Brett Sutton said.
“Anyone developing symptoms is advised to ring ahead to their general practitioner or hospital first and tell them that they may have measles so that appropriate steps can be taken to avoid contact with other patients.”
Locations the tourist visited include:
- Saturday, March 3 – Flinders Backpackers (Elizabeth Street, Melbourne), Flinders Street railway station, tram routes 16 and 96 to and from St. Kilda beach, St Kilda beach;
- Sunday March 4 – Flinders Backpackers, Coles Central (Flinders & Elizabeth Streets), McDonalds (Elizabeth Street);
- Monday March 5 – Flinders Backpackers, Philip Island, Nobbies Visitor Centre Café;
- Tuesday March 6 – Flinders Backpackers, Westpac Bank (Elizabeth Street), Medicare office (Galleria Shopping Centre, Bourke Street);
- Wednesday March 7 – Flinders Backpackers, multiple sites along the Great Ocean Road between Geelong and Warrnambool.
Measles can cause serious illness, particularly in the young. Anyone who is unvaccinated is at risk.
Early symptoms include a runny nose, cough, fever and rash. The rash usually begins on the face and spreads down the body.
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