NSW Health has issued a warning following a confirmed measles case involving a traveller who passed through Sydney International Airport while infectious. The individual had returned from South-East Asia, an area currently experiencing measles outbreaks.
Specifically, any passengers on Vietnam Airlines flight VN773, which departed Ho Chi Minh City at 8pm on June 15 and landed in Sydney at 8am on June 16, are advised to monitor for symptoms. Additionally, those present in the international arrivals and baggage claim areas of Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport between 8am and 9.30am on June 16 may also have been at risk of exposure. Fortunately, these locations no longer pose a health threat.
Acting Director of Public Health for South Western Sydney Local Health District, Dr Mitchell Smith, has noted that individuals should be vigilant for symptoms which include fever, sore eyes, runny nose, and cough. These are typically followed, three to four days later, by a distinctive red, blotchy rash that spreads from the head and face downwards. Symptoms can develop up to 18 days after contact.
Dr Smith emphasised the importance of seeking medical advice if symptoms present, advising people to contact their GP or emergency department beforehand to avoid potential exposure to others in waiting rooms.
Vaccination remains the most effective way to prevent measles outbreaks. Health authorities recommend that anyone born after 1965 should ensure they have received two doses of the measles vaccine, which is provided for free to children at the ages of 12 and 18 months.