Urgent measles warning as new cases detected in WA
WA's total caseload for the year has reached 23.
The two latest cases travelled between Perth, Port Hedland and Newman. They visited locations between June 23 and July 8, including Perth Airport and Crown Casino.
It comes as WA Health authorities on Friday issued a notice about undetected cases of measles in the state.
'The latest (Friday) case had no recent interstate or overseas travel history or known sick contacts, indicating that there have been undetected cases of measles in WA,' Communicable Diseases Control Directorate director Paul Armstrong said after a locally acquired case was announced on Friday.
'Measles can spread very quickly and anyone who is not immune is at risk of developing the disease if they are exposed.'
Anyone who attended the exposure locations during the dates and times listed is urged to monitor for symptoms.
A full list is available at health.wa.gov.au.
Measles can spread through airborne droplets and usually develop around 10 days after exposure.
Early symptoms of the virus include fever, fatigue, cough, runny nose and sore eyes, with a red, non-itchy rash emerging three or four days later.
WA Health says the rash typically starts on a person's face, spreading to the rest of the body.
Measles can lead to serious health complications including pneumonia and encephalitis, which is inflammation of the brain.
The highly infectious virus is particularly dangerous for babies under 12 months, as they are too young to be fully vaccinated.
Measles was declared to have been eradicated from Australia in 2014.
While there have been small, contained outbreaks in the years since, a disturbing trend is now emerging, with cases rising steadily since 2021, the last time there was zero cases reported in Australia.
In 2022, there were seven, 26 were reported in 2023, and in 2024 there were 57.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
ABC News
6 hours ago
- ABC News
Home births are on the rise in WA but access is limited for people who want one
Laura Incognito still remembers the feeling of sharing her birth story with her mother's group. "We went around the circle of these 12 women and a lot of them had traumatic, negative experiences in the hospital system," Ms Incognito recalled. "Some didn't, some were fine, but as soon as I said that I had a homebirth I just felt a shift in the room to judgement. She is not alone in receiving that kind of reaction to the decision to give birth at home. Eliza Huck was confident in her choice to have a home birth with her first child last year after one of her sisters, a doctor, decided to have her fourth child at home, after not great experiences in hospital with her first few births, resulting in emergency caesareans. "Everywhere, except within my family, I had people saying, 'That's so risky,'" Ms Huck told Jo Trilling on ABC Radio Perth. But perceptions about the safety of home births are slowly changing and both women are part of a growing number choosing to give birth at home. Nationally, home births — where people deliver at home under the supervision of a medical professional — are increasing and in some states such as Western Australia, the numbers have more than doubled in the past five years. There were 477 home births in WA last year, compared to 195 in 2019, according to the WA Department of Health. Although home birth numbers are increasing, they still only make up a small percentage of births, about 1.5 per cent in WA and about 0.6 per cent in Australia. Academic and private midwife Clare Davison said this increase was in part triggered during the pandemic, when there were restrictions on who could attend births in hospitals, so more women chose to stay at home. "There's also rising awareness of the impact of the medicalisation of birth," she said. "Because most women actually want to have an uncomplicated vaginal birth, with the national caesarean rate of over 35 per cent, many women feel that their chances of this are reduced if they give birth in hospital." One of the biggest misunderstandings midwives who offer home births say they encounter is that the births are unsafe. Alison Weatherstone, chief midwife at the Australian College of Midwives (ACM) said an Australian study found planned home births for low-risk pregnancies had comparable safety outcomes to hospital births, including low rates of perinatal mortality. "Intervention rates are significantly lower [in home births], c-section rates are lower and patient experience, which really matters for women, is better," Ms Weatherstone said. Nisha Khot, president-elect of the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RANZCOG) acknowledges the increased chances of interventions in a hospital setting and says that home-birth programs for low-risk pregnancies are safe. "The research tells us that things like stillbirth, death of babies after they're born, or mothers having significant complications, are as rare in a home situation as they are in a hospital situation, so there isn't really an increased risk of outcomes from a baby's perspective or the mother's perspective," Dr Khot said. "The real risk though is needing to transfer into hospital and what the research shows us is that for women who are having their first baby [at home] around 30 per cent, so 30 out of every hundred, will need a transfer into hospital for a variety of different reasons." But Dr Khot said the majority of those women transferring to hospital would not have life-threatening circumstances. "They'll be transferred in for other things, like needing an epidural for pain relief. That's not going to make your outcomes worse," she said. "I think home birth is a very safe option if that is what you want. "It's all about choice, it's about informed consent and it's about making sure that there are pathways of escalation if required." Dr Khot points out that the research is based on women who are deemed to have low-risk pregnancies, as policies preclude those who fall into the higher-risk category, which can range from factors like pre-existing medical conditions, complex pregnancies, and maternal age. RANZCOG does not support those with high-risk pregnancies birthing at home. Ms Weatherstone also said there was evidence that women who planned a home birth were less likely to experience birth trauma, an issue that has been in the spotlight since a NSW parliamentary inquiry into birth trauma concluded last year, after receiving 4,000 submissions and holding six public hearings. Among the report's 43 recommendations was ensuring women have access to continuity of care, allowing them to see the same health professional throughout pregnancy and birth. "One of the biggest factors [in choosing home birth] is that women want continuity of care and a relationship with their caregiver," Dr Davison said. "They want to trust that care provider and know who's going to be with them during birth and know that that person knows what's important to them." Both Eliza Huck and Laura Incognito say that having the same person support them throughout pregnancy, labour and postpartum was one of the biggest driving factors in deciding to go down the home birth route. "We just knew that we were going to be working with someone who would 100 per cent be able to support us throughout our entire journey, and make us feel really safe and comfortable, and we just loved the idea of being able to do everything from the comfort of our home," Ms Incognito said. Midwives who offer home births will start seeing patients at home from about 10–13 weeks gestation. This continues regularly throughout the pregnancy, where they bring all equipment needed to the home, as well as being able to prescribe approved medications, order ultrasound scans, or make referrals as required. The home visits continue for up to six weeks after giving birth. "I built such a strong relationship with my midwife because there was never any rushing," Ms Huck said. "My midwife was with us until six weeks postpartum so when I had issues with breast-feeding she lined up a lactation consultant for me." The ACM estimates a home birth with a private midwife costs about $5,000 in out-of-pocket expenses. Medicare rebates are available for antenatal and postnatal appointments, but the birth itself is not covered and the ACM is advocating for a Medicare item number for home birth. There are publicly funded home-birth programs in every state and territory except Tasmania, where public hospitals assign a midwife to assist women in planning and having a home birth, but places are limited. There are also public hospital Midwifery Group Practice (MGP) programs, in which women deliver in hospital but are supported by the same midwife throughout pregnancy and birth. They are free to access, but availability is also limited. "While AIHW [the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare] tells us that 42 per cent of maternity services in Australia have an MGP or equivalent model, only 8–15 per cent of women birthing in Australia can access these models of care," Ms Weatherstone said. Dr Khot agrees with calls to make continuity of care more accessible, whether that be in a midwife or obstetric model and says more funding is needed, as well as boosting the workforce. "Absolutely continuity of care is the key to it. There are free continuity-of-care models, which are hospital-based, but they often exclude women who have risk factors, which I think leaves women who have any risk factors with not a lot of choices. "So I think if we are going to support women we need to have an all-risk model for continuity of care for hospitals, as well as for midwifery and medical continuity of care." Ms Weatherstone said the increased demand for home births in Australia meant government support should be extended. "There definitely needs to be an expansion of publicly funded home birth and also access to privately practising midwives in Australia to meet this demand," she said Dr Davison said she believed that if home birth was accessible to more people, the numbers would be higher. She said her phone runs so hot with people enquiring about home-birth services, that she seldom answers calls. "The demand is huge compared to the number of midwives providing home-birth services," she said. "Most women can't access a private midwife or don't have the money to pay for it. "What happens to us during birth impacts that early postnatal period and that mothering period. "If you start that journey feeling empowered, then it's going to go on into your parenting and your life."
ABC News
a day ago
- ABC News
Burns survivor wants to use second chance to teach others about fire safety
It was less than week to Christmas and only two days away from finishing his barley crop harvest when farmer Tim Haslam came face-to-face with a bushfire in 2023. Unable to escape the flames, he incurred burns to 38 per cent of his body. Two years on from the incident, Mr Haslam realises he made critical mistakes and wants to ensure others do not follow in his footsteps. Mr Haslam said on the day of the fire the conditions were not particularly bad, with winds around 12 kilometres per hour. But he said everything changed in an instant. "It was harvest and we were at the closing stages of our 10,000 acre cropping program, we probably had two days to go," he said. "I was harvesting and had just finished a run line. I looked in the rear-view vision mirror and saw flames, so it was then that I went and got a fire unit. "All I could see out of my windscreen was orange flames. "I immediately turned the ute left and I then got bogged. I also realised I had a flat tyre." Mr Haslam said it was then that he made the first of several mistakes. "I got out of the ute and I just ran, probably four or five steps. I tripped and landed hands-first into the [burning] barley stubble," he said. After being found by an employee, he was flown to Fiona Stanley Hospital in Perth, where he spent 10 days in the Intensive Care Unit. For seven of those days, he was in a coma. When Mr Haslam woke, he was told he had suffered 38 per cent burns to his face, arms, legs, hands and feet. "I was extraordinarily lucky to be in Fiona Stanley, it is by far the best burns unit in the world," he said. "[Plastic surgeon and burns specialist] Fiona Wood has done an enormous amount of research since and prior to the Bali bombings. "They developed spray-on skin, and on top of that, I'm also wearing compression garments that I have to wear for 24 months." Mr Haslam said the support from his wife Sally and the wider farming community during his treatment and rehabilitation had been unwavering. "Undoubtedly, I was given a second chance. I've had 15 surgeries, I've lost all the ends of my fingers, the corners of my mouth have also webbed together," he said. When asked how day-to-day operations had changed for him on his farm in Popanyinning, Mr Haslam said they had changed enormously and also very little. "I do all my farm jobs. I do them fairly slowly and it is quite painful, but is that age, arthritis or burns-related?" he said. The farmer echoed this year's Farm Safety Week message of second chances and using them as powerful learning opportunities. "Now while I am harvesting, I will always look at the wind direction and where it is coming from. "On December 20, 2023, I had a pair of shorts and a short-sleeve shirt on. "I urge people for the period of harvest just wear long pants and a long-sleeve shirt. "I just simply reacted. What I should have done is sat there for a second and just assessed, 'What are my options?'" Mr Haslam admitted that stepping out of his vehicle during the fire was a mistake others should learn from. "My employee who picked me up could have quite easily run me over, but fortunately the smoke had cleared by then," he said. The family was just two days off finishing their harvest when Mr Haslam was injured. Already a busy time of year for other farmers trying to finish their own harvest, one of his neighbours organised a working bee to get the rest of the crop off. "There were four or five headers, trucks. They all turned up to finish off the harvest, and drink my grog," Mr Haslam said. "My local bowling club also turned up. They were all such incredible support. I refer to them as my bowling family. "I had the photos of the harvest hanging in my hospital room. It was a way of keeping me connected to home."
7NEWS
a day ago
- 7NEWS
Dietitian Dr Kyla Smith says fish fingers, bread and ketchup is ‘nutritional' and enough for children to get what they need
Paediatric dietitian Dr Kyla Smith has divided opinion after suggesting a picture of fish fingers, buttered bread and ketchup is nutritious enough for an every-day kids' meal. The Perth-based paediatric dietitian regularly shares posts detailing the nutritional content of food in a bid to educate parents. 'It doesn't have to be fancy. Even if your child is deep in the beige stage, they are still getting enough,' she wrote. Smith said she wants parents to feel confident their children are consuming a balanced diet with a variety of foods, which is what they need for their growth and development. Her post was part of a series where she features regular supermarket food and highlights the meals nutritional value. But the particular combination of foods in her post sparked an online debate. Many followers commented Smith's suggestion was normalising processed food with high sugar content. 'It's really easy to throw criticism at people but in today's world, it's so hard to be a parent,' Smith told 'There are a lot of companies out there selling potions and powders, preying on the parents who believe their child isn't getting enough nutrients.' Smith helps families sort through the misinformation with her tailored mealtime programs for every stage of the feeding process. 'I'm not recommending to serve your child fish fingers every night for dinner,' Smith said. 'The point of the post was to highlight that eating these types of foods as part of a balanced diet is OK. 'Regular food that you find at the supermarket, or that you have in your house are enough. 'Everything in moderation is fine — it's about a balanced approached to eating.' In fact, Smith says enjoying a meal out as a family, even at fast food restaurants like McDonald's, can have benefits. 'Food can teach us to share,' she said. 'Eating together as a family is a social experience. 'It can create good, positive memories.' After some parents reacted negatively to the post, Smith later updated it to explain that: 'All foods have nutritional value'. Smith has been helping parents feed their children for 15 years. She is also as a mum to two girls Elsie, 7, and Cleo, 4. 'I know the struggle today's parents have navigating limited time, information overwhelm, picky eaters and societal expectations,' Smith said. She said fussy eating — refusing to eat vegetables, demanding the same meal or rejecting new foods outright — is very common. 'Children go through phases,' she said. 'Their appetite and preferences change frequently.' One of the biggest myths is that children need to eat a full, balanced meal at every sitting. 'What matters more is their overall intake over a week — not necessarily each individual day,' Smith said. Another misconception is that kids should be pressured to finish their plates. But forcing children to eat can have an adverse effect. 'This can create negative associations with food and disrupt their natural hunger cues,' Smith said. 'We can raise our children to respect their bodies and trust their hunger. 'It's not always easy in our diet-obsessed culture, but it is possible.' Dr Kyla's top tips for fussy eaters Eat as a family whenever you can. Enjoy a variety of foods with your child. Keep mealtimes free from pressure. Trust everyone to decide for themselves how much they need to eat to be full. Your child learns about healthy eating from what you do, not what you say.
