Measles Warning At These Sydney Hot Spots

Sydneysiders are being warned to watch out for symptoms of the measles, after an infected tourist visited a number of hot spots. 

The young adult international traveller probably caught the infection in their home country and first developed symptoms in Melbourne on July 15.

They then traveled to Sydney and visited many tourist highlights before being diagnosed with measles.

New South Wales Health wants to avoid another outbreak, with the last one back in March triggered by a returning traveller from Bali.

Symptoms to watch 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.

The tourist visited the Queen Victoria Building, the Pitt Street shopping district, Circular Quay, Central station and Leichhardt.

Specific exposure sites include:

• Flight from Melbourne (VA841, 11.30am from Tullamarine Airport) July 15
• ‘Madang Korean BBQ’ restaurant on Pitt St for dinner on July 15
• ‘Pancakes On The Rocks’ restaurant in the Rocks for lunch on July 16
• ‘Hokka Hokka’ restaurant at Westfield Sydney for dinner on July 16
• ‘Café Gioia’ in Leichhardt for lunch on July 18
• ‘Yu Xiang Hot Pot’ restaurant on Hay St for dinner on July 18
• Train from Town Hall to Green Square before lunch on July 19
• ‘The Grounds of Alexandria’ restaurant in Alexandria for lunch on July 19
• ‘Thai Express Australia’ restaurant in Sydney CBD for dinner on July 19
• Leichhardt Medical and Dental Centre on July 18 & 19

It's important to be vaccinated against measles, because it is highly infectious and spread through the air. 

A highly effective measles vaccine, MMR, is free in NSW for adults up to 51 years of age and children. Two doses of the measles vaccine are required for maximum protection. It is safe to have the vaccine more than twice, so people who are unsure should be vaccinated.