Alarm Raised Over Contagious Disease

People in Queensland have been advised to stay alert as someone who was carrying measles but didn’t know it visited various tourist locations, train stations, and other sites throughout the state.

An alert was released on Sunday night following an incident where an adult contracted measles and had visited multiple venues and sites throughout Brisbane, the Gold Coast, and the Sunshine Coast from April 2nd to April 5th.

An individual who arrived from abroad tested positive for an infection upon visiting several locations including the Australia Zoo, a miniature golf site, numerous railway stations, stores, and accommodations earlier this week, as per a warning issued by the Metro North Public Health Unit.

Dr Alexandra Uren, a Metro North Public Health physician, has advised individuals who have been to these places to keep an eye on their health for up to 18 days following possible exposure.

"If symptoms appear, they should consult a healthcare professional," Dr Uren stated.

Initial signs of measles consist of a high temperature, fatigue, coughing, a running nose, and irritated, reddened eyes. These symptoms later develop into a spotty red rash, typically beginning around the face area prior to spreading across the body.

Symptoms of measles generally appear from seven to 18 days following the infection.

"If someone suspects they have measles and wants to seek treatment, they should contact their doctor or medical clinic beforehand so that preventive measures can be put in place to stop the infection from spreading to others," Dr Uren stated.

Measles is very contagious and spread by the coughing and sneezing of infectious people, or direct contact with nose or mouth secretions, according to the Queensland Health website.

It may lead to severe issues such as pneumonia and encephalitis, along with middle ear infections.

According to the Queensland Health website, "Measles should not be considered a trivial illness. Most fatalities happen in children younger than 5 years old, largely due to pneumonia, with some cases resulting from encephalitis."

Complications tend to be both more frequent and more serious in individuals suffering from long-term illnesses as well as in very young children.