An international traveller carrying measles arrived at Sydney International Airport on a Thai Airways flight from Bangkok on November 7, prompting NSW Health to issue an urgent public health alert for Sydneysiders.
The infected passenger visited multiple locations across the city, including the emergency department at Canterbury Hospital in Campsie, before realizing they were infectious. Health authorities are urging anyone who visited the exposure sites to monitor closely for signs of the highly contagious viral illness.
- Incubation and Transmission: Measles is an airborne viral infection transmitted via respiratory droplets. Symptoms typically emerge one to three weeks after exposure.
- Infection Control Protocol: Anyone developing symptoms after visiting an exposure site must call ahead before visiting a medical clinic or hospital to avoid exposing other patients in waiting rooms.
Sydney Local Health District Public Health Unit Acting Director Isabel Hess advised the public to remain vigilant.
If symptoms develop and you’ve been at one of the locations at the time listed on the website, see your doctor or health service, including an emergency department,” Dr Hess said.
Dr Hess emphasized the necessity of preventative communication prior to seeking medical care. Patients must contact healthcare providers in advance.
“Call ahead to let them know that you may have come into contact with measles so you don’t spend time in waiting rooms with other patients,” Dr Hess said.
The clinical presentation of measles follows a well-documented trajectory. Initial prodromal symptoms mimic common respiratory infections before dermatological signs appear.
Dr Hess outlined the progression of clinical indicators following exposure. “Symptoms to watch out for include fever, sore eyes, runny nose, and a cough, usually followed three or four days later by a red, blotchy rash that spreads from the head and face to the rest of the body,” Dr Hess said.
Patients must not walk unannounced into waiting areas where vulnerable populations are present. Anyone exhibiting a high fever accompanied by a spreading blotchy rash after visiting the listed exposure sites should seek clinical evaluation promptly.
NSW Health continues to update its official website with specific exposure locations and times associated with the infected traveller’s movements. Residents who were present at those sites during the specified windows must monitor their health and adhere strictly to public health isolation and notification protocols.
- NSW Health Public Health Alerts and Exposure Sites
- Sydney Local Health District Public Health Unit Advisories
