Warning over highly contagious illness

The baby returned from a trip to India and has since been diagnosed with measles, prompting an alert from NSW Health.

The locations on alert are The Children‘s Hospital at Westmead emergency department waiting room, Argyle Street Medical Centre at Parramatta and Westfield Parramatta.

Anyone who visited the three locations during the above times is advised to consider getting vaccinated against measles if they haven’t already.

NSW Health Director of Communicable Diseases Dr Christine Selvey said young children are most at risk from the disease.

“Measles is a highly contagious infection, and the most vulnerable are infants under 12 months, who are too young to be vaccinated against it, other members of the community who are not fully vaccinated and people with a weakened immune system,” she said.

“Measles is easily spread in the air through coughing or sneezing by someone who is unwell with the disease.”

Symptoms include sore eyes, a runny nose, cough and fever and could appear in an infected persons anytime between now and April 14.

Three to four days after the first symptoms, patients may develop a red and blotchy rash which starts from the head or neck and spreads down the body.

Experts are urging anyone born in 1966 onwards to receive two doses of the Measles vaccine if they are unvaccinated against the disease.

The child has since visited three sites in the western suburbs and anyone who was at the following locations has been advised to stay alert for signs and symptoms:

• The Children‘s Hospital at Westmead emergency department waiting room between 12pm and 9:30pm on Monday, March 27.
• Argyle Street Medical Centre at Parramatta between 9:15am and 10:00am on Monday March, 27.
• Westfield Parramatta between 9:00am and 10:00am on Monday, March, 27.