Measles alert in NSW after man diagnosed with contagious disease after flight to Sydney

Health authorities have launched a new alert for measles, after a man arrived in to Sydney airport with the contagious disease.

A fresh measles alert has been issued in NSW, after a man was diagnosed with the highly-contagious condition while travelling through Sydney airport.

The man was a passenger on board a Cathay Pacific flight from Hong Kong to Sydney on Tuesday, May 28.

The plane landed at Sydney T1 international terminal at 7.40pm.

Following his arrival to the terminal, the man in his 40s travelled on a train to Leumeah via the Macarthur line, where he arrived just before 10pm.

In a release by NSW Health, passengers who were on-board flight CX139 and travelled on the Macarthur line between 9.11pm and 9.58pm on Tuesday, May 28 should be alert for signs and symptoms of measles.

It is understood the man was diagnosed with the infection following a trip to Bangladesh, and his vaccination status is unknown.

Sydney airport have launched a measles alert for airport plane and train passengers.

NSW Health Director of Communicable Diseases, Dr Vicky Sheppeard, said none of the locations visited by the man pose an ongoing risk.

“Symptoms to watch out for 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,” Dr Sheppeard said.

“Anyone who develops symptoms of measles should phone their GP to ensure they don’t wait with other patients before seeing their doctor.”

The man was on board Cathay Pacific flight CX139. Picture: Supplied.

Earlier this week, a baby travelling from the Philippines to the Central Coast was diagnosed with the disease.

The infant, who is aged under 12 months, was infectious while travelling on a flight from Manila which arrived into Sydney Airport on the morning of May 25.

The baby is the 42nd person to be diagnosed with measles in NSW since Christmas.

NSW Health on Monday urged anyone who was on flight Cebu Pacific flight 5J 41 or who was at Sydney Airport that morning to be alert for symptoms of the disease, which can take up to 18 days to appear.

Earlier this week, a baby was diagnosed with measles on the Central Coast.

The baby was also taken to two Central Coast medical centres while infectious.

Measles symptoms include fever, sore eyes and a cough followed three or four days later by a red, blotchy rash, NSW Health says.

“If you do develop symptoms, please call ahead to your GP so you do not wait in the waiting room with other patients,” communicable diseases acting director Dr Sean Tobin said in a statement.

The newest case of measles in NSW is a man in his forties who travelled through the international terminal at Sydney airport on Tuesday May 28.

Despite the high numbers of people being diagnosed with measles, a recent report has shown vaccination rates in NSW are at their highest levels, with more than 95 per cent of five-year-olds vaccinated.