Gold Coast Health has issued a Measles alert following a confirmed case that briefly visited the Gold Coast.
The person was unknowingly infectious when they travelled to Brisbane from Perth on June 6 and then attended the Gold Coast University Hospital’s Emergency Department.
Gold Coast Public Health has identified three locations where people have have been exposed to the virus.
They include Qantas flight QF938 on Friday 6 June departing Perth from 1.05pm and arriving in Brisbane at 7.10pm. They were then in Brisbane Domestic Airport that evening from 7.10pm and 8.35pm.
They then attended the Gold Coast University Hospital Emergency Department waiting room on Tuesday 10 June between 1.07pm and 3.50pm.
“These locations pose no ongoing risk, however people who visited the above locations should be on the lookout for signs and symptoms,” Gold Coast Public Health said in a statement on Thursday.
Gold Coast Public Health Physician Dr Hannah MacKenzie said the highly infectious illness is spread by tiny droplets through coughing and sneezing.
“Infection symptoms include fever, cough, runny nose, sore eyes then a red spotty rash a few days later,” said Dr MacKenzie.
“Measles can make people very unwell and although complications are uncommon, they can be very serious.
“Vaccination is the best way for the community to protect themselves from diseases such as measles.”
Symptoms usually start around 7 to 10 days after contact with a person with measles, but it can take up to 18 days for symptoms to appear after an exposure.
