Measles warning after confirmed case travelled on flight to Melbourne

The latest confirmed measles case at Melbourne Airport means there are now several exposure sites there.

A Singapore Airlines plane at Melbourne Airport. A confirmed measles case travelled on a Singapore Airlines flight to Melbourne recently. Source: AAP / Julian Smith

KEY POINTS

• Victoria has reported another confirmed case of measles in a returned overseas traveller.
• There are now several exposure sites listed at Melbourne Airport.
• Measles is a highly contagious virus that spreads easily when people cough or sneeze.

Victoria has recorded a new measles case that's sparked a warning for passengers on a flight into Melbourne.

The Victorian Health Department on Friday said the confirmed case arrived on Singapore Airlines flight SQ217, which touched down in Melbourne at 9.40pm on Friday, 19 February.

They then transited through Melbourne Airport's international arrivals terminal between 9.40pm and 11.30pm, the department said.

Both the flight and the terminal are now listed as exposure sites.

"If you have been to one of the exposure sites, you must monitor for symptoms for 18 days. Symptoms usually start to appear after a week. If any symptoms develop, you should seek immediate medical attention," Victoria’s Chief Health Officer Dr Clare Looker said in a statement.

"Please call ahead before arriving at a medical facility, so that they can see you in isolation from other patients."

The Victorian Health Department currently has several other measles exposure sites listed.

They include Emirates flight EK408, which arrived in Melbourne from Dubai at 10.50pm on Wednesday, 14 February, and subsequently the international arrivals terminal from that time until 12.20am on Thursday, 15 February.

Terminal one domestic departures is also listed as an exposure site between 1.30pm and 2.35pm on Thursday, 15 February.

"Measles outbreaks have recently been reported across the globe and anyone planning overseas travel should ensure they have received appropriate vaccinations, including an MMR vaccine if they don’t have a history of two previous MMR vaccinations," Dr Looker said on Friday.

Measles is a highly contagious virus that spreads easily when people cough or sneeze. It is most common in children, but can affect anyone.

The World Health Organization in January issued a warning about the spread of the infectious disease after the number of annual cases in Europe jumped from 941 to 42,200 in 12 months.