The World Health Organisation has issued an alarm over the rise in measles cases and has urged vaccination. Multiple Australian states, including New South Wales, Queensland, Victorian, and the Australian Capital Territory, have also issued measles alerts, and are urging people to get vaccinated as cases appear in the community. On Jan. 24, both the United Nations and the ACT health department also released warnings about the increase in measles cases and stated that vaccination is the only protection against the disease.
In Sydney, a confirmed case of measles was reported in a person who had travelled through Sydney airport and the Australian Capital Territory. Consequently, NSW Health is asking people at Sydney Terminal One international arrivals in the morning on Jan. 20 to monitor for symptoms. Moreover, in Melbourne, an overseas traveler has been identified with measles, and the Victorian Health Department is advising that people stay alert for symptoms until early February. In Queensland, the health department has alerted the public to a case in Brisbane’s southside on Jan. 8.
Symptoms of measles can include a red blotchy rash that spreads from the head to the rest of the body, fever, runny nose, sore eyes, and cough, according to NSW Health. The United Nations has warned that the COVID-19 pandemic has caused a great number of children to miss measles vaccinations as resources were diverted to dealing with the pandemic. WHO regional director for Europe, Dr. Hans Henri P. Kluge, has echoed this sentiment, and is calling for urgent vaccination efforts to prevent further spread. Furthermore, health authorities in the UK and the U.S. have also issued warnings about measles outbreaks.