Three people who attended RMIT University’s graduation ceremony in Melbourne last month have been diagnosed with measles, prompting fears that thousands more may have been exposed.
According to ABC News, an 11-year-old child from Victoria and 17-year-old from the Northern Territory have both been diagnosed with the disease along with a 35-year-old man.
The three have no connection to one another, except having attended the graduation ceremony at Etihad Stadium on December 17, but it is confirmed that the child and teenager had not been vaccinated against the disease.
Thousands may have been exposed to measles at the RMIT graduation ceremony in Melbourne last month.
Victoria’s chief health officer Rosemary Lester said she was “almost certain” the source of the outbreak was someone attending the ceremony while infected.
“We are concerned that more people may have been infected from the event,” she said. “Measles has an incubation period of up to 18 days, so illness acquired from this event could still be coming through, and cases could still remain infectious for many days.”
“Measles is very highly infectious and it will seek out people who are unvaccinated and unfortunately these two young people were unvaccinated,” Dr Lester said.
Over 90 per cent of Australians are vaccinated against the disease but Dr Lester said it was “quite possible” that more cases would emerge.
“It is a concern to me that we still do have people who are needlessly at risk of what’s a very serious disease,” Dr Lester said.
Measles begins with a fever, sore red eyes, and a rash which appears after three or four days. It usually lasts several weeks and can have serious side effects including pneumonia and encephalitis.
“If anyone has those symptoms they should seek medical attention,” she said.
“Preferably [they should] ring ahead to the doctor or hospital to say that they have those symptoms so that the doctor or hospital can isolate them when they come in to make sure they don’t mix with other patients.”
RMIT management have contacted all graduates who attended the ceremony and asked them to alert their families and friends.
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Tournament of Minds State championship at UNSW 2014 outbreak of chicken pox my daughter had chicken pox aged 3 and contacted it again. Advised of six other children who also contracted chicken pox and 5 of them were immunised against chicken pox.
Most children are only immunised with one dose of the vaccine. Two doses are necessary.
Mimi, was anything reported in news media or elsewhere about this chicken pox outbreak at the TOM State Championships? Also, are you referring to the NSW State Finals for TOM that occurred on Sunday 14 September 2014?
I also ensure all family members have their booster shoots for whooping cough. People don't seem to realise that it is something that needs to be done as you get older. Our vaccinations given as young children do NOT cover us for our whole life....we need to redo this when we are going to be around any babies.
Yes! My husband didn't get his booster when our youngest was born 2 years ago (even though I reminded him - grrr...!) and caught whooping cough on a work trip overseas. Luckily bub had had his first couple of immunisations by this point and, although he did catch it, it was a very mild case. Hubby however was really sick and it could have been a very different story if it was a few months earlier. Get your boosters people!