After confirming the fifth case of measles this week, Victorian health authorities are now concerned an outbreak could be imminent.
All five affected people were in regional Victoria or in contact with people who had been in regional Victoria before becoming infected.
None had recently travelled overseas.
The news of the measles outbreak in Victoria comes following a major breakout in February. Post continues…
The highly contagious airborne virus can be spread through coughing, sneezing and the sharing of food and drinks.
Symptoms generally include a fever, runny nose, sneezing, sore throat, coughing, lethargy, diarrhoea, sore eyes and later, a red rash that spreads across the body.
Once infected, people are contagious from four days prior to the rash appearing, and for a further four days after the rash has appeared.
Non-vaccinated children are at the greatest risk of contracting measles. Source: iStock.
The first known case of the potential outbreak was a woman who had travelled to regional Victoria and Melbourne.
It is understood she was in Shepparton from 21 to 25 June and travelled by regional train to Southern Cross Station on June 25. From there, she then travelled to Melbourne Airport and flew to Brisbane via a Jetstar service, returning to Melbourne on 28 June.
While in Brisbane, the woman is said to have caught the Beenleigh train from the airport to the city, and visited the Beaudesert Fair Shopping Centre throughout the stay.
The Victorian health department is recommending that anyone born after 1965 and unsure of their immunisation status get a booster shot.
Top Comments
This is horrifying. The WHO website lists measles as having been eradicated from Australia due to our (previously) excellent uptake of the vaccination program. Just goes to show that a drop in vaccination rates really does have an effect on the transfer of diseases.
Actually someone has passed on the disease. This is not about immunisation rates because the disease doesn't magically appear in a society like Australia where we had eradication levels. Health authorities just don't know the exactly where the outbreak started but it is certainly not laying dormant in our country then oops it starts again. Measles is present in some countries, a traveller could of brought the Illness in and spread it to a person in Australia who may or may not have been immunised. My husband works in our health dept as a manager and it is alarming the misinformation that goes on. Travellers can spread contagious illness to people without public health authorities knowing the transmission has occurred. Tracing it happens when the authorities have a reported case, they do 't know every person they have been in contact with.
Yes, but transmission is more prevalent when vaccination rates are low. If vaccination rates are high, transmission is stalled. That's how it was eradicated in the first place.
I know it's not just lying dormant; I know someone has to bring it in from overseas. But you're right in that there is a lot of misinformation out there.
Omg no you don't get it. The health departments promote vaccination rates for adults, those born after 1965. This is not about child hood vaccination rates at all, children under 12 months are not going to be immunised against this, changing childhood vaccination rates will not change the number of under 1 year olds at all. Conscientious objectors are not impacting on heard immunity. Our greatest threat is the easy access via travel. If you are talking about pockets of India, Africa etc where there are geopolitical reasons for non eradication then you can talk about childhood vaccinations. Health officials know full well that this illness has come INTO the country. Ebola, swine flu, avian flu, etc all posed a risk because of travel, we need to understand this is a reality in a mobile global population.
It's herd, not heard, immunity.
I understand that the disease comes in from overseas. I know that is the only route it can access Australia from. I understand that international travel is what brings it to Australia.
However, once it gets into Australia, its ease of transmission IS affected by vaccination rates. Children under 12 months aren't really relevant as they're not generally out and about in the community, touching people. Older children can be (especially school age children), and adults too. If vaccination rates are high, transmission rates once the disease enters the country will be lower than if vaccination rates are low. The Guardian published an excellent animation displaying this a year or so ago.