More measles cases confirmed

The number of cases in Victoria’s measles outbreak has risen to 11, with four more confirmations over the weekend.

The Department of Health and Human Services has advised that eight of the 11 cases over the past two weeks have a connection, mainly through a workplace in central Melbourne or its immediate surroundings.

Victoria’s Chief Health Officer Professor Charles Guest said a common factor linking the eight cases was the Collins Square building in Collins Street.

he said people who work in or around that area, or other identified places where those who were infected with the illness have been during their infectious period, need to be aware of the signs and symptoms of the disease.

As well as the workplace, locations visited by confirmed cases during their likely infectious period but before they were diagnosed include:

• September 20-22: Metro trains – North Richmond, Southern Cross, Murrumbeena and South Yarra stations
• September 22: the Australian Ballet’s Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland at the State Theatre
• September 23: MCG – AFL Preliminary Final (Gate 5, Level 4); Greville St, Prahran; Chapel St, Windsor; Maribyrnong Boathouse, The Boulevard, Moonee Ponds
• September 24: Melbourne International Airport, Qantas Club Lounge (8-10am); Qantas flight QF 29 to Hong Kong; KMart Moonee Ponds; DFO essendon
• September 20: Melbourne International Airport, Jetstar flight JQ 26, arriving from Denpasar.

The disease has an incubation period of seven to 18 days so those who visited these locations might develop symptoms up until mid-October.

Measles is highly infectious and can cause serious illness, particularly in very young children and adults. People can develop pneumonia and other serious complications from the disease, and often need to be hospitalised.

Professor Guest said the illness usually begins with common cold symptoms such as runny nose, red eyes and a cough, followed by fever and rash.

“Anyone developing symptoms is advised to ring ahead to their GP or hospital first and tell them that they have fever and a rash so that appropriate steps can be taken to avoid contact with other patients.”

For more information about measles, head to betterhealth.vic.gov.au/health/conditionsandtreatments/measles.