Victorians on alert after measles cases

Victorians are being advised to be on alert for measles after two teenagers returning from an international flight were diagnosed with the disease.

Health authorities are warning people to be on the alert for measles after two teenagers were diagnosed with the infection in Melbourne.

The teenagers, siblings from the same family, might have been unwell when they returned home from Malaysia on Air Asia flight D7214 arriving at 930am on January 5.

The teens also visited the Fountain Gate Shopping Centre in Melbourne and went to the cinema before they were diagnosed, the Department of Health and Human Services says.

Victoria's Chief Health Officer Charles Guest is concerned others could have been infected.

"Measles has an incubation period of up to 18 days so illness acquired from contact could still be coming through, and cases could still remain infectious for many days," Professor Guest said in a statement on Tuesday.

The disease is highly infectious, usually beginning with common cold symptoms such as fever, sore throat, red eyes and a cough.

A rash usually begins three to seven days after the first symptoms, generally starting on the face and then spreading to the rest of the body.

People can develop pneumonia and other serious complications from the disease.

One of the two teenagers was hospitalised, but both are now recovering at home, the Department said.

While the disease is uncommon in Australia thanks to the use of the measles vaccine, most cases are linked to international travel.


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Source: AAP



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