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There have been five confirmed cases of measles notified in Victoria in the last two weeks. Two initial cases acquired their illness locally, the third case was infected in Romania, and two new cases, cases four and five, were contacts of cases one and two.

Image/geralt
Image/geralt

The source of the infection is unknown at this point. This means there may already be further cases in the community which have not been diagnosed.

As measles is highly infectious through airborne transmission, other secondary cases (either related to the unknown source or the five diagnosed cases) could occur in susceptible people. Measles has an incubation period of between 7 and 18 days (average 14 days from exposure to rash) so should be considered in any susceptible person who presents with a compatible illness, with an onset date between 5 September 2017 and 13 October  2017.

Cases spent time while infectious at the following locations: 

  • 6 September – IKEA Richmond (11am – 1pm)
  • 7 September – Spotlight Carnegie (11.30am – 12.30pm), Chadstone Shopping Centre – specifically Kmart (12pm – 3.30pm)
  • 8 September – Federation University, Ballarat (Mt Helen campus)
  • 9 September – Chadstone Shopping Centre (10am – 1pm)
  • 11 and 12 September – Frankston Train line (peak hour travel time) – Armadale Station and Southern Cross Station, Collins St, Docklands
  • 12 September  – flight QR222 departing Romania (Bucharest) on 12 September via Doha Qatar, arriving Melbourne on 13 September on flight QR904
  • 13 September  – IKEA Richmond (11am – 1.30pm)
  • 20 September  – Metro trains – North Richmond, Southern Cross, Murrumbeena, South Yarra stations. Wholesale Pharmacy Balaclava, Virgin Active Gym (Collins St), Collins Square
  • 21 September – Metro trains – North Richmond and Southern Cross stations, Collins Square
  • 22 September – Metro trains – North Richmond and Southern Cross stations. Wholesale Pharmacy Balaclava, Virgin Active Gym (Collins St), Collins Square
  • 23 September  –  Church St, Victoria St, Punt Rd and Swan St (Richmond), The Posty Bar (Richmond), MCG – AFL preliminary final (Gate 5, Level 4)
  •  24 and 25 September – Carnegie area

Susceptible people who have attended any of these places are at risk of measles and may have symptom onset anytime from 13 September  until 13 October 2017. Symptom onset can occur any time between 7 and 18 days after exposure.

Anyone who presents with signs and symptoms compatible with measles should be tested and notified to the Department. There should be an especially high index of suspicion if they have attended any of the areas stated above and are unvaccinated or partially vaccinated for measles.

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