The Canberra community is being notified of the second confirmed measles case of the year and it shows no apparent link to the first case reported in October.
ACT Chief Health Officer, Dr Paul Kelly said, “With a second case of measles in Canberra confirmed in two weeks, I am strongly advising the community the best way to protect yourself and your family against measles is vaccination.”
Health officials are following up on people known to have been in contact with this latest case of measles who visited several public locations in Canberra while infectious.
Diphtheria: A short history, the disease, treatment and the success of the vaccines
Measles is a serious disease and is highly contagious among people who are not fully immunized. People generally develop symptoms 7-18 days after being exposed to a person with infectious measles, with 10 days being more common. People are infectious from 5 days before they develop a rash until 4 days after. The virus is spread from an infectious person during coughing and sneezing or through direct contact with secretions from the nose or mouth.
Two doses of Measles Mumps Rubella vaccine (MMR) are recommended to provide adequate immunity, and although the vaccine is normally given to children at 12 months and 18 months of age, it can be given at any age after 9 months.
Related:
- Halifax: Two mumps cases confirmed at Dalhousie University
- 52 million children living with viral hepatitis globally: New data
- Cholera, polio vaccination drive enters 2nd phase for Rohingya population at Cox’s Bazar
- Miami: Sexually transmitted Zika case confirmed
- Ebola aid money fraud: Red Cross statement
- Nebraska reports first H3N2v ‘swine’ flu case
- LA health officials urge gay men to get vaccinated for hepatitis A
