Sydney records 33 cases of measles since January 1, authorities issue health alert after new exposure site detected

Sydney is grappling with its worst measles outbreak in years, as the number of confirmed cases soars to 33 after more confirmed cases were detected in the city’s western and northern suburbs.

Two new cases were acquired locally after people attended an exposure site at the same time as an infected person earlier this month.

A third case is under investigation and remains unknown how they became infected.

Health authorities warned there is currently an increased risk of measles across the state.

NSW Health advised the new cases visited several locations across western and northern Sydney while unknowingly infectious.

Healthcare facilities, eateries and a grocery store in Frenchs Forest, Kingswood, Forrestville and Chatswood have been added to the measles exposure site list on the NSW Health website.

People are urged to check the list of exposure locations and monitor for symptoms if they attended at the same dates and times listed.

“These locations do not pose an ongoing risk,” a NSW Health spokesman said.

NSW Health Director of Communicable Diseases Dr Christine Selvey said if people develop symptoms and have been to one of the locations listed to contact their doctor or a health service.

“Call ahead to let them know that you may have come into contact with measles so you don’t spend time in waiting rooms with other patients,“ she said.

“Symptoms to watch out for include fever, sore eyes, runny nose and a cough, usually followed three or four days later by a red, blotchy rash that spreads from the head and face to the rest of the body.

“Anyone with early symptoms who gets a rash a few days later should also think about measles, even if they haven’t attended one of the identified locations, and seek testing.

“It can take up to 18 days for symptoms to appear after an exposure, so it’s important for people who visited these locations to look out for symptoms for this period.“

Dr Selvey urged people to make sure they were up to date with their vaccinations as measles is a vaccine preventable disease that is spread through the air when an infectious person coughed or sneezed.

“Measles vaccine can prevent the disease even after exposure, if given early enough,“ Dr Selvey said.

“Anyone born after 1965 needs to ensure they have had two doses of measles vaccine. This is especially important before overseas travel, as measles outbreaks are occurring in several regions of the world at the moment.”