A fresh measles case has triggered a new exposure alert in Adelaide, prompting health authorities to issue an urgent warning to South Australians. An infant who contracted the highly contagious infection overseas visited several locations while infectious, including the Women’s and Children’s Hospital and the ‘St Eufemia D’Aspromonte’ Italian Festival.
The infant was at the Flinders Park Football Club for the Italian Festival on Sunday, February 1 from 2pm to 4pm, when attendees could have come in contact with the infection. On Wednesday, the infant visited the Women’s and Children’s Hospital SA Pathology Collection Centre from 4pm to 4.45pm, as well as the Emergency Department of the same hospital from 4.15pm to 5.10pm and again from 6.40pm to 7.10pm.
SA Health has advised those who are not fully immunized and who were present in these locations at the specified times to remain alert for symptoms over the coming weeks and to see a doctor if they become ill. Symptoms of measles start with fever, cough, runny nose, and sore eyes, followed by a blotchy rash which usually begins on the head and then spreads down the body.
"If you believe you have measles symptoms, contact your doctor before you visit so precautions can be taken to avoid spreading the infection to others," an SA Health spokeswoman said. The listed locations do not pose an ongoing risk, SA Health said.
This alert comes just a day after a previous warning was issued for multiple sites across Adelaide after a person with measles traveled on two trams and visited a busy swimming center on Australia Day. Although the cases are unrelated, this is the third reported case of measles in South Australia, with the first reported earlier last month. This situation highlights the importance of vaccination and the need for vigilance in preventing the spread of infectious diseases.
