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Bali travellers return to Aus with measles

Two people returned from Bali last week with measles, prompting a warning to travellers from NSW Health.

Travellers at Denpasar airport in Bali
Two people returned from Bali last week with measles, prompting a NSW Health warning to travellers. (AAP)

Recent travellers to Bali are being urged to look out for measles symptoms after two people returned to Australia with the disease within days of each other.

NSW Health says the Brisbane and Sydney residents were both on Virgin Airline flights from Denpasar last week.

The Sydney resident left Bali on February 28 and visited a pharmacy, medical centre and hospital emergency department in Auburn over the next eight days.

The Brisbane resident left on March 2 and visited Sydney and Brisbane airports while infectious on March 3, NSW Health said in a statement.

The warning brings the number of NSW cases of measles to eight this year.

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All caught the disease overseas, NSW Health says.

Communicable diseases director Dr Vicky Sheppeard said symptoms included "sore eyes and a cough followed three or four days later by a red, blotchy rash spreading from the head and neck to the rest of the body".

She also said it was important to be vaccinated against measles to create "herd immunity".

"The risk of contracting measles is higher in certain overseas countries and vaccination is your best protection against this disease, so it's important to seek advice from your doctor on the appropriate vaccinations to have ahead of overseas trips," she said.

"Measles is highly infectious and is spread through the air when an infected person coughs or sneezes."

Earlier in the week residents were warned a seventh NSW resident to catch the disease had flown in from Bangkok on March 2.

He ate lunch in the Marrickville area on March 5, according to NSW Health.


2 min read

Published

Source: AAP



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