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An unvaccinated baby has contracted measles after arriving in Sydney.

Pleas from the health department for people to get the jab.

The infant, which was travelling from South East Asia, came down with the potentially deadly infection last week shortly after arriving in Sydney.

The child visited major tourist attractions including Circular Quay, Taronga Zoo and Chinatown as well as Canberra, Jindabyne and Perisher between August 17 and August 19.

NSW Health’s communicable diseases director Vicky Sheppeard urged people to ensure they were fully vaccinated and be wary of symptoms if they visited the same places as the infected child.

“The measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine is safe and highly effective protection against measles, and is available for free for those aged one to 52 from your GP,” she said in a statement.

“If you are unsure whether you have had two doses, it is quite safe to have another dose.”

The infant was in the following locations and on public transport while infectious:
Bus on Friday 17 August to and from Marayong and Blacktown station
Train on Friday 17 August to and from Blacktown and Circular Quay station
Ferry on Friday 17 August to and from Circular Quay and Taronga Zoo wharf
Circular Quay, Opera House. Botanical Gardens, Darling Harbour and Chinatown on Friday 17 August
Siesta Villa East Jindabyne, Jindabyne and Perisher on Saturday 18 August
Papparich and Coles in Canberra Centre on Sunday 19 August
Lindt Chocolate Factory in Marsden Park on Sunday 19 August.

Symptoms

Dr Vicky Sheppeard, Director Communicable Diseases NSW Health, said anyone who was in these locations should watch for symptoms.

“The time from exposure to the disease to the onset of symptoms is typically about 10 days but can be as long as 18 days so people should be alert to symptoms until 6 September,” Dr Sheppeard said.

Measles symptoms include fever, sore eyes and a cough followed three or four days later by a red, blotchy rash spreading from the head and neck to the rest of the body.

Dr Sheppeard said infants under 12 months of age who are too young to be vaccinated and young adults are most likely to be susceptible to measles.

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  • The baby may have returning from a holiday in Thailand with his parents. The article doesn’t actually state that they had been living in Thailand.

    Reply

  • Poor little one. So awful when the baby was too young to be vaccinated for him to catch this disease. He’ll still need to be vaccinated as he won’t develop immunity from measles at such an early age.

    Reply

  • How scary. I hope tha baby makes a full recovery.

    Reply

  • So scary when bub is too little to be fully vaccinated.

    Reply

  • This is alarming. We’re quite close to Marayong and Blacktown. We certainly have to watch for symptoms. Glad to hear the child is stable.

    Reply

  • Very sad for the child and family. But where is the policy from the immigration department to prevent epidemic outbreaks occurring. We have to have our children immunized to enter day cares, child cares, schools, etc. Why can’t the government prevent people from entering the country if they haven’t been immunized?

    Reply

  • Just goes to show that herd immunity is so important for kids that can’t / aren’t old enough to be vaccinated


    • Agreed. This is always my worry for my young Bub, I can’t wait until she’s 1 so I can get her vaccinated

    Reply

  • Oh sweetie. :-(

    Reply

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