A young child who visited a hospital emergency department has been diagnosed with measles sparking a citywide health alert.
NSW Health said patients and visitors to Blacktown Hospital, in Sydney’s west, may have been exposed from 9.30am to 3pm last Friday.
The infant, who is too young to be vaccinated, recently returned from South Asia where there have been outbreaks of measles in several countries.
Western Sydney Local Health District director of public health Catherine Bateman said it is important to be on the lookout of symptoms if you, or someone you know, visited the hospital at those times, as reported by 9 News.
Measles symptoms include fever, runny nose, sore eyes and a cough, usually followed three or four days later by a red, blotchy rash that spreads from the head to the rest of the body.
NSW Health has confirmed an infant, who is too young to get the vaccine, has the measles after recently returning from South Asia. There has been a measles outbreak in several Asian countries
Patients and visitors to Blacktown Hospital, in Sydney ‘s west, may have been exposed to the highly-infectious disease from 9.30am to 3pm last Friday. They have been warned to look out for symptoms, including a fever, runny nose and a blotchy rash that spreads from the head to the rest of the body
Measles is spread through the air when someone who has the disease coughs or sneezes.
There is a measles vaccine, making it preventable in those old enough to have the jab.
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