Authorities urge to get measles jab, following two infected cases in Lake Macquarie, Newcastle
Health authorities are urging people to make sure they get two jabs of measles vaccines, after confirmation of two infected people visited fast food places, retail stores and a swim centre while contagious.
Newcastle
Don't miss out on the headlines from Newcastle. Followed categories will be added to My News.
Hunter New England Health have issued a measles alert following confirmation of two people infected in the Hunter region.
A middle-aged woman and a teenage male were diagnosed with the highly infectious virus after coming into contact with a man confirmed with measles on his return from Brazil, in South America.
While infected, the pair frequented a number of locations including a library, gym, fast foods places, retail stores and a swim centre, prompting health authorities to warn people who were in those areas to watch out for any symptoms.
Hunter New England Public Health Physician, Dr David Durrheim is urging all people in those areas to ensure they’ve had two jabs of measles vaccine if born since 1966.
“People who have been in those high risk areas need to be on the look out for signs and symptoms of measles until the 22nd of September,” he said.
“People in their middle ages may have only had a single vaccine and their GPs may not have records for them so they could easily have a booster dose which is very safe and give them protection.
“Babies and anybody on immunosuppression, cancer patients for example, obviously may not have protection. Babies are very fortunate in that they get protection from their mums across the placenta for the first few months of their lives and until at least nine months of age.
“We want to protect those who are most vulnerable in the community and the best way of doing that is for the rest of us to make sure we are protected.”
LOCATIONS
Wednesday 28 August
Wallsend Library 11:30am — 14:00pm
Glendale Hunter Sports Centre gymnastics class and Glendale Shopping Centre 6:00pm — 7:30pm
Edgeworth Town centre, Henny Penny and Coles 7:30pm — 8:00pm
Saturday 31 August
West Wallsend Swim Centre 10:15am — 11:30am
Warners Bay Pillow Talk Midday — 12:30pm
Wallsend McDonalds Midday — 2:30pm
Kotara Bunnings 1:00pm — 1:30pm
Clarendon Hotel, Newcastle 2:30pm — 3:00pm
Sunday 1 September
Broadmeadow MacDonalds 8:00am — 8:30am
Wickham Bid Barn Tender Centre Midday — 2:00pm
Monday 2 September
Westfield Kotara, KFC and Kmart 3:00pm — 3:30pm
Tuesday 3 September
Glendale Pharmacy Chemist Works 8:30pm — 9:00pm
MEASLES
It can take up to 18 days for symptoms to appear following exposure to people with measles.
Symptoms include fever, sore eyes and a cough followed three or four days later by a red, blotchy rash that spreads from the head to the rest of the body.
Measles is highly contagious and is spread in the air through droplets from coughing or sneezing by someone who is unwell with the disease.
While the risk of infection is low in fully-vaccinated people, health experts urge anyone who comes into contact with someone who has measles to remain alert for symptoms.
About 1 in 15 infected people get pneumonia — one in one thousand develops brain swelling. For every 10 people who develop brain swelling, between two and four people will develop a brain injury and one will die.