Burnett school warns of measles case

The families were notified of the case on the last day of the school term.

The South Burnett school notified parents on the last day of the school term. Picture: Thinkstock

SOUTH Burnett parents should keep an eye out for any symptoms after one school reported a case of confirmed measles on the last day of term.

Taabinga State School families were notified by the school of a confirmed case of measles.

Measles is a highly infectious viral illness and is spread during coughing, sneezing or through direct contact with secretions from the nose or mouth by an infectious person.

The school urged families to monitor themselves and contact a doctor for treatment if any symptoms appear.

However, according to Queensland Health there has been no recently confirmed measles cases in the Darling Downs Health region.

Queensland Health advises, anyone with measles may be infectious from about five days before the onset of the rash, and until about four days after the rash appears.

The time from contact with the virus until the onset of symptoms is about 10 days, but maybe from seven to 18 days.

Measles may begin with symptoms such as a fever, tiredness, cough, runny nose and potentially red inflamed eyes.

These symptoms will usually become more severe over three days and the cough can become worse at night.

At this stage in the illness, there may be small white spots on a red base in the mouth on the inside of the cheek, which is then followed by a blotchy, dark, red rash usually found at the beginning of the hairline.

The rash will usually continue to spread across the body and typically with measles, the fever is still present.

Queensland Health advises there is no specific treatment for measles, with symptoms of the illness usually treated with rest, plenty of fluids and paracetamol to lessen pain or fever. However, do not use aspirin for treating fever in children.

The vaccination for measles is offered free of charge as part of a combined measles, mumps and rubella vaccine for all Australian children as part of the National Immunisation Program Schedule.

The National Immunisation Program Schedule recommends immunisation against mumps for Australian children at 12 months (first dose) and 18 months of age (second dose).

To ensure protection against the disease, it is important that children receive all recommended doses of the vaccine at the recommended times.

Currently two doses of MMR vaccine are recommended for all Queenslanders born after 1966.

These vaccines are funded and can be accessed through local general practitioners or other vaccination service providers. If people don't know if they have had two doses then they should see their GP. In some instances a third dose is available.

For further advice, call 13 HEALTH.