logo
A measles alert has been issued after cases were linked to travellers on the same Bali flight

A measles alert has been issued after cases were linked to travellers on the same Bali flight

News.com.aua day ago
A measles alert has been issued after three cases were detected in travellers who were on the same Bali flight.
WA Health urged people travelling overseas to get a measles vaccination before they depart following the most recent cases.
A health department spokesman said the most recent case was a traveller on Jetstar flight JQ108 which departed Perth about 6.30pm on July 22.
Two other cases were reported from travellers on the same flight but were in separate parties and were not seated together.
One of the infected travellers has visited multiple locations throughout Perth's south since they arrived back into Australia on Jetstar flight JQ117 at 1.30am on July 28.
Authorities are contacting people exposed at the locations, but the public is urged to check the list of exposure sites on the Department of Health website.
Communicable Disease Control acting director Clare Huppatz said measles is highly contagious and it was not surprising that it had spread to other passengers who travelled on a plane with an infectious person.
'Anyone who is not immune is at risk of developing the disease if they are exposed,' she said.
'Measles can be severe for some people and can require hospitalisation, but it is preventable through vaccination.
'It's important for people to monitor for symptoms if they visited the venues on the exposure locations at the times listed.'
Dr Huppatz said early symptoms included fever, tiredness, cough, runny nose, and sore eyes, followed by a red non-itchy rash three or four days later.
'The rash usually starts on the face and spreads to the rest of the body,' she said.
Dr Huppatz encouraged anyone planning overseas travel to see their GP or a travel doctor to discuss appropriate vaccinations prior to their trip, adding that a free MMR vaccine is available to adults who are not fully vaccinated.
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

China up, US down: Why Australian travellers are moving away from old favourites
China up, US down: Why Australian travellers are moving away from old favourites

SBS Australia

time3 hours ago

  • SBS Australia

China up, US down: Why Australian travellers are moving away from old favourites

Australians are switching up where they're travelling to, according to the latest annual report from the Australian Bureau of Statistics. The top five destination countries in 2024-25 were Indonesia, New Zealand, Japan, the US and China. Indonesia — particularly Bali — remained at the top, accounting for 14 per cent, or 1,741,370, of Australian trips. Japan also continued its rise, stepping into the third place with 910,640 visitors. The number of trips to Japan has tripled compared with data from 2014-15. It overtook the US, which dropped to fourth with 746,220 visits — down from third in 2023-24. The US was the only country in the top five where travel volumes were lower than 10 years ago, with 253,220 fewer trips in 2024-25 than 2014-15, a 25 per cent drop. China moved up two places to become Australia's fifth most popular travel destination. Ten years ago, in 2014-15, the top five countries were New Zealand, Indonesia, the US, the UK and Thailand. Indonesia topped the list of Australians' most popular travel destinations yet again, thanks to its island paradise of Bali. Meanwhile, the United States has dropped one place. Source: SBS News Japan up, US down According to Sara Dolnicar, Professor at the University of Queensland's Business School, the rise in interest in Japan is multifaceted — including a strong exchange rate, more affordable and shorter direct flights, and cultural motives such as cuisine, scenery and traditions. Skyscanner's 2025 travel trends report found that the top factors influencing destination choice were weather (66 per cent), attractions (65 per cent), food (63 per cent) and culture (59 per cent). Travel to the United States is 25 per cent lower than 10 years ago, while the number of trips to Japan has tripled compared to data from 2014-15. Source: SBS News On the other hand, Dolnicar says the United States may be seeing a dip in travel interest partly due to political insecurity. "I don't know if it's specifically the Trump administration or whether it's the perceived volatility of decision-making, but there is absolutely no doubt that that has affected international travel into the US," Dolnicar said. "I think for Australians, there is a bit of unease. But I wouldn't say it's that people feel the fear in their bones." "The way consumers operate in their behaviour is that they'll still want to go to New York, but they'll say, 'maybe I'll just wait a couple of years.'" An increase in travel to China is not necessarily politically motivated either, Dolnicar said. Instead, it's more likely linked to the new policy introduced in November 2024, allowing Australian passport holders to travel in China for 30 days without a visa, she said. "Being able to walk in and get a stamp for 30 days — that would have had a big effect [on the figures]." "With the US, people might say they love it, but now is not a good time. And now with China, they might have always wanted to check it out and they've made it easier to get in — so why not?" The bigger forces shaping travel While destination-specific factors matter, Dolnicar says five broader forces are influencing where Australians go: exchange rates, political insecurities (including safety), natural disasters, the cost of living, and the post-COVID desire for international travel. Cost is often the first consideration, especially in a cost-of-living crisis. "If you've seen that your disposable income is not sufficient, you'll just say that you can't travel that year," she said. Margy Osmond, CEO of peak industry group Tourism and Transport Forum Australia, said their data indicated two-thirds of the nation were planning a trip, but there was still a "noticeable drop" in those who actually took holidays. "That suggests that while the desire to explore remains strong, cost-of-living pressures and economic uncertainty are influencing how and when people travel," Osmond told SBS News. Exchange rates are also having an effect. Dolnicar points to a roughly 25 per cent increase in the value of the Australian Dollar over the Japanese Yen in the last decade: "It's gigantic. For a dollar now, you get 25 per cent more holiday than you used to." On the other side of the coin, the Australian Dollar's exchange rate with the US Dollar has fallen by almost 9 per cent over the last five years. Osmond added: "While the US remains a bucket-list destination for many Australians, higher costs, a weaker exchange rate and the rising expense of long-haul flights have dampened demand." What's the next hotspot? Osmond predicts Australians may increasingly choose destinations closer to home, particularly in South East Asia and the Pacific. "Many travellers are now gravitating towards destinations that offer better value and shorter travel times, particularly across Asia and the Pacific, which has seen some of the US market share shift elsewhere," she said. "While traditional favourites like the US and Europe will remain aspirational, emerging destinations in Asia and the Pacific could enter the top five, and the industry will need to navigate challenges such as affordability, sustainability and seamless border experiences to meet travellers' expectations." The Australian Travel Industry Association's (ATIA) May 2025 travel trends report found Japan had the largest percentage increase year-on-year, with a 38.4 per cent rise, followed by China (+35 per cent) and Vietnam (+26.2 per cent). "The whole of Asia is very attractive. It's close and it's affordable," Dolnicar said. "Vietnam is kind of an alternative to Indonesia … it's a little bit more off the beaten track." LISTEN TO But climate change is also set to make a large impact on where and how Australians travel in the future — potentially making some destinations less viable and increasing ticket prices. "Some popular ski areas will no longer have snow," Dolnicar said. "That sunny and blue-skied destination might now have rainfall." She warns that measures such as carbon limits or a mandated use of biofuels — a more expensive fuel made from renewable sources — could make overseas travel less affordable. "If the flight to Bali is suddenly very expensive, you're not going to go," she said. "There is a real likelihood that we'll need to move back to more local travel because the carbon emissions we generate with the way we're currently travelling is out of control."

Deadly honeybee parasite varroa mites detected in Gippsland, Victoria beehives
Deadly honeybee parasite varroa mites detected in Gippsland, Victoria beehives

News.com.au

time4 hours ago

  • News.com.au

Deadly honeybee parasite varroa mites detected in Gippsland, Victoria beehives

A deadly parasite that infests beehives and kills honey bees has spread through regional Victoria. Varroa mites have been detected in beehives throughout the Gippsland region, putting apiarists on alert to monitor their hives for any infestation. Gippsland Apiarist Association president Stan Glowacki said once a mite got into a beehive it could build up numbers where it killed off the hive within about six to nine months. 'If you have 400 hives that could be quite a financial hit to your operation,' he said. 'It's going to affect every beekeeper, it does not matter whether they have one hive or 1000 hives.' Varroa destructors are a parasite of adult honey bees and broods that weaken and kill honey bee colonies and transmit viruses, according to Victoria Agriculture. They are a major problem for commercial and hobby beekeepers once they become established. Varroa mites were first detected in NSW in June 2022. A national eradication response saw 14,000 hives euthanised before it was determined it was not feasible to achieve total elimination. Authorities and beekeepers now manage the pest, which can cost about $40 a year per hive, according to Mr Glowacki. 'It's a little parasitic mite that moves on the bees,' Mr Glowacki said. 'To scale it up to human size, it's the equivalent of having a parasite the size of a dinner plate stuck on your body, sucking out your blood.' He said once a female mite got inside a hive and a brood hatched it was an exponential threat. 'It's very worrying even for a small backyard beekeeper. Nobody wants to lose their bees,' he said. 'If you don't monitor your hives and manage the mite you're going to lose your hives. 'Eventually we're going to get to the stage where the industry is going to know the genetics and have hives that can manage the mite without the use of chemicals. 'But until we get to that stage people will lose hives and pay for the chemicals to try and keep their hives alive.'

Scott Power: ASX health stocks up in ‘reasonable start' to reporting season
Scott Power: ASX health stocks up in ‘reasonable start' to reporting season

News.com.au

time6 hours ago

  • News.com.au

Scott Power: ASX health stocks up in ‘reasonable start' to reporting season

ASX heath sector up 2.33% over past five days, while broader markets ros 1.2% Avita downgrades FY25 guidance and announces $23 million capital raise 'Materially undervalued' CSL due to report FY25 results next week Healthcare and life sciences expert Scott Power, who has been a senior analyst with Morgans Financial for 27 years, gives his take on the ASX healthcare sector for the week and his 'Powerplay' stock pick. The ASX Health Care Index (ASX:XHJ) has risen 2.33% for the past five days, beating the benchmark S&P/ASX 200 (ASX:XJO) up 1.2% for the same period in what Morgans' senior healthcare analyst Scott Power has described as a "reasonable start" to reporting season. In the large caps, US-focused radiology imaging house Pro Medicus (ASX:PME) jumped ~6% on Thursday after releasing its FY25 results, which co-founder and CEO Dr Sam Hupert dubbed 'the most successful year in the company's history by any measure'. Pro Medicus revenue for FY25 was up 32% to $213 million with underlying profit before tax rising 40.2% to $163.3m and net profit up 39.2% to $115.2m. The company achieved a record year for contract wins, renewals, and additional module sales. Cash and financial assets grew 35.5% to $210.7m, with ProMedicus remaining debt-free. A fully-franked final dividend of 30 cents per share was declared. Morgans maintains a trim rating on Pro Medicus and has raised its 12-month target price to $285 from $280. A favourite among investors Pro Medicus is trading above that target at around $315. "Pro Medicus reported a result in line with our expectations and the share price responded positively up with strong earnings growth forecast for FY26," Power said. However, investors in Cochlear (ASX:COH) weren't tuning in to quite as positive news. The global hearing implant leader's FY25 results released today came in below expectations and its price fell ~2%. Cochlear reported FY25 NPAT of $392m, which was slightly below consensus of $400m but within recently downgraded guidance of A$390–400m. Revenue rose 4% to $2.356 billion, also slightly under expectations. Cochlear implants sales grew 12% to 53,968 units, slightly above consensus, driven by early access to the new Nucleus Nexa system in the EU and APAC. Developed markets grew 6%, below expectations, while emerging markets surged over 20%. Services revenue, which accounts for ~25% of total revenue declined 9% to $609m, impacted by slower uptake of the N8 sound processor launched in 2023 with US "cost of living" pressures flagged as a factor delaying the replacement cycle. The interim dividend was $2.15, beating forecasts. Cochlear has provided NPAT guidance of $435m to $460m for FY26, slightly below consensus of $461m with Morgans forecasting $436m. Avita bandages up after 'poor' Q2 result Dual Nasdaq-listed wounds management house Avita Medical (ASX:AVH) posted what Morgans' healthcare analyst Iain Wilkie described as a "poor result" for Q2 CY25 and also announced a $22m capital raise. Full-year 2025 revenue guidance was downgraded to a range of $76m to $81m compared to previous guidance of $100m to $106m, reflecting growth of ~19% to 27% over full-year 2024 revenue. Avita revenue for Q2 CY25 of US$18.4m was flat QoQ, and up 21% YoY as demand for its flagship spray-on skin treatment Recell fell ~20% due to unresolved reimbursement issues with medicare administrative contractors (MACs) in the US. Net loss for Q2 improved to US$9.9m, down from US$15.4m on pcp but according to Wilkie was "still insufficient to ease near-term cash flow concerns". In a note to clients Wilkie wrote Avita must deliver US$20m per quarter in H2 CY25 to meet the lower end of guidance. Profitability timelines have now also been pushed, with cash flow breakeven expected in Q2 CY26 and GAAP profitability expected in Q3 26, both delayed by one year. "A poor result, and confirms a structural delay in its breakeven trajectory, but we don't see this as a structural derailment," he wrote. "Commentary around resolutions made in July as Medicare contractors initiate pricing and payments is a good sign this is reversing. "Still, hard for investors to stomach yet another downgrade to guidance. He said the key takeaway with Avita's latest results was the US payor system was complicated. Meanwhile, answering concerns about its balance sheet Avita announced on Wednesday a $23m equity raising, by way of a private placement at $1.32 per share, an 11% discount on the previous close. Although capital raising often drags on a share price, Avita's stock jumped as much as 13% as investors welcomed the added breathing room. Morgans maintains a speculative buy on Avita but has downgraded its 12-month price target from $3.78 to $2. EBR's WiSE finds its rhythm with early sales Developer of the WiSE CRT System – the world's only leadless solution for pacing the left side of the heart, EBR Systems (ASX:EBR) has released its Q2 CY25 results, which was largely in line with expectations – per Morgans healthcare analyst Derek Jellinek in a note to clients. Cash burn was down US$2m to US$11.5m, mainly on lower R&D spend with US$87m cash on hand, which Jellinek wrote was adequate funding for more than seven quarters at the current rate. "Notably, June saw ~US$150k in first commercial sales from three WiSE CRT devices across two leading US hospitals, with favourable physician and patient feedback increasing despite no reimbursement, which is still expected later this year," Jellinek wrote. "We continue to view the phased US commercial rollout, with limited market release in Q4 CY25 followed by full commercial launch in CY26, as prudent, balancing adoption with execution quality." EBR was granted US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval for the launch of its Wise CRT system in the US in April. Morgans maintains a buy rating on EBR with a 12-month price target of $2.86. Tetratherix gets government grant for manufacturing facility Newly locally listed wound management company Tetratherix (ASX:TTX) has been awarded $3.3m non-dilutive grant from the Australian government's Industry Growth Program to co-fund its manufacturing facility expansion. The funding will be spread across FY26 and FY27 with Tetratherix contributing to the balance of $4m. Following its ASX debut on June 30, the company allocated $10.2m from its IPO funds for manufacturing expansion. The expanded manufacturing will enable the supply of product for the bone regeneration franchise which is on target for US FDA clearance in H2 CY 26. Power said other upcoming catalysts for Tetratherix include a master service agreement executed with an orthopaedic company expected in H1 CY26. An update on recruitment in a pivotal trial for cohort two using its tissue healing product TetraDerm involving surgical incisions in face/neck is also expected also in the H1 CY26. "Its clearly positive news for Tetratherix and we will assume that the saving in manufacturing will be re-allocated to funding other franchises including bone regeneration, tissue spacing, tissue healing," Power said. "TTX's share price is up over 40% since the IPO and we expect the cadence of news flow to maintain investor interest over the coming quarters." Power's Powerplay: 'Materially undervalued' CSL to report FY25 results The ASX's largest healthcare company, CSL (ASX:CSL) is Power's pick of the week, with the blood products giant due to report its FY25 results next Tuesday. In a July note to clients Power's colleague Jellinek wrote that CSL was currently trading at levels significantly below fair value, pricing it as less than a single-division company, with the main Behring division alone justifying a higher valuation and no value assigned to either Seqirus or Vifor. Morgans 'view CSL as materially undervalued' and over the past decade the company had averaged an EV/EBIT multiple of 24.7 times but today it sits at 18.2 times. Strong demand and cost-cutting measures have helped margins recover for CSL Behring, which focuses on rare and serious diseases such as bleeding and immune disorders and made up more than 70% of earnings. Morgans noted CSL's flu vaccines business Seqirus faced short-term uncertainty around vaccine uptake and the impact of vaccine skeptic Robert F Kennedy Jr's position as Health secretary, but demand was still supported by pandemic contracts. Growth in CSL's iron deficiency and kidney care business Vifor, while slower than expected was also showing signs of improvement. "Combined, we estimate an intrinsic value of $196 bn, representing c35% upside from current trading levels," Jellinek wrote. Morgans has a buy rating on CSL and 12-month target price of $303.70. The views, information, or opinions expressed in the interview in this article are solely those of the interviewee and do not represent the views of Stockhead. Stockhead has not provided, endorsed or otherwise assumed responsibility for any financial product advice contained in this article. At Stockhead, we tell it like it is. While EBR Systems is a Stockhead advertiser, the company did not sponsor this article.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store