Passengers on a flight from Singapore to Perth may have been exposed to measles, with a passenger diagnosed after returning home.
The passenger arrived in Perth around 6:00pm on Sunday January 11, on Scoot flight TZ 8 from Singapore.
The WA Department of Health has warned people on that flight, particularly those sitting near row 43, that they were potentially exposed.
Other areas where people may have been exposed included the arrival area at Perth International airport on January 11 between 6:15pm and 7:00pm and the children’s play area adjacent the Vale Shopping Centre in Canning Vale between 6:30pm to 7:30pm on January 13.
People at the Forest Lakes Medical Centre in Thornlie around 8:45am to 10:15am on January 14, and the emergency department at Armadale Kelmscott Memorial Hospital around 10:30am to 11:00am on January 17 may also be at risk.
In a statement, WA Health Medical Epidemiologist Dr Gary Dowse said public health staff had been contacting potentially exposed people where they were known, but it was not possible to identify all people who were in the listed public places.
He said symptoms include a fever as well as a cough, runny nose, sore red eyes and a rash.
“Anyone who thinks they are infected should call ahead and mention their possible contact with measles so they can be isolated when they arrive at the GP surgery or emergency department, to prevent infecting other patients and staff,” Dr Dowse said.
He said vaccinations had eliminated naturally occurring measles from WA for over a decade, but occasional cases and small outbreaks occured from infected tourists or WA residents returning from overseas.
“Complications following measles can be very serious and may include ear infections and pneumonia in about 10 per cent of cases,” the Department of Health statement said.
“Around 50 per cent of cases may require hospitalisation and about one person in every 1,000 will develop encephalitis, an inflammation of the brain.”