Latest news with #TarunWeeramanthri
7NEWS
29-04-2025
- Health
- 7NEWS
Victoria records highest measles case numbers in a decade amid outbreak
While people often brush off measles as just a common illness, it's now at its highest level in a decade in one Australian state. So far this year, 23 cases have been recorded in Victoria, and that's more than the total number detected in all of 2024. The latest case prompted another health alert from the Victorian Department of Health on Monday, after a returned traveller from Pakistan tested positive. The returned traveller flew into Melbourne from Dubai on Emirates flight EK408 last Thursday (April 24), with several locations now identified as public exposure sites. These sites include Melbourne Airport, Westfield Fountain Gate, ALDI Kilmore, Coles Kilmore, Kilmore District Hospital Urgent Care Centre, Kilmore Library and Pet Stock Kilmore. Victorian Department of Health urges anyone who visited these locations to monitor for symptoms, which can develop between seven to 18 days after exposure. Common symptoms include fever, cough, runny nose, sore or red eyes, and feeling generally unwell. It is then followed by a red, blotchy rash that typically starts on the face before spreading down the body. 'There is currently an increased risk of measles in the greater Melbourne and Mitchell Shire, with a number of public exposure sites identified,' said Tarun Weeramanthri, the department's chief health officer. He said an increasing number of infections are now being acquired locally in Victoria. Emergency physician Stephen Parnis told Nine's Today program this is the first time in a decade that local transmission of measles has occurred. Weeramanthri warned measles is highly infectious and can lead to serious complications such as pneumonia and brain inflammation (encephalitis). While vaccination is key to protection, coverage in Australia has dropped below the 95 per cent national target since the COVID-19 pandemic. 'Vaccination is the best way to protect yourself and others,' Weeramanthri said. 'Check if you're protected against measles today.' 'If you haven't had two doses, or you don't know, visit your GP or pharmacy for a catch-up MMR vaccine.' The MMR vaccine is free for all Victorians.
United News of India
29-04-2025
- Health
- United News of India
Measles health alert issued for Australian state of Victoria
Sydney, Apr 29 (UNI) Authorities in the southeastern Australian state of Victoria have issued a health alert for measles amid a spike in cases. The Victorian Department of Health on Monday said that a new measles case has been reported in a returned traveller who visited Pakistan and was infectious on a flight from Dubai to Melbourne on April 24. The department said on Friday that there had been 22 confirmed cases of measles in Victoria in 2025 - more than in 2023 and 2024 combined. It said the majority of cases have been acquired locally in Melbourne and surrounding areas. Victoria is Australia's second-most populous state with a population of over seven million. Tarun Weeramanthri, Victoria's Chief Health Officer, said on Monday that there is an "increased risk" of measles in greater Melbourne and the neighboring Mitchell Shire. "A growing number of measles cases have acquired their infection locally in Victoria," he said in a statement. "The majority of recent cases have arisen in people who have not had two documented doses of the MMR (measles-mumps-rubella) vaccine." He said that there is also an "ongoing risk" of measles being imported into Victoria by overseas travellers due to rising cases globally. Anyone who spent time in greater Melbourne or the Mitchell Shire from early April has been urged to monitor for symptoms of measles, including fever, cough and feeling generally unwell followed by a rash that usually starts on the face. Measles can spread through airborne droplets or contact with nose or throat secretions. According to the World Health Organisation, over 107,000 people died from measles globally in 2023 - most of whom were unvaccinated or under-vaccinated children younger than five. The Victorian Department of Health said that measles vaccination coverage across Australia has fallen below the 95 percent national target since the COVID-19 pandemic. The MMR vaccine is free in Australia for anyone who has not previously received two doses. UNI XINHUA ARN
News.com.au
29-04-2025
- Health
- News.com.au
Victoria records worst measles outbreak in a decade
Victoria is seeing its worst measles outbreak in a decade, as the global outbreak continues to penetrate Australian borders. Victorian health authorities issued a warning on Monday, with a list of exposure sites that include the Melbourne international airport, a Westfield, Coles, Aldi and a pet store. 'A growing number of measles cases have acquired their infection locally in Victoria,' the state's chief health officer, Tarun Weeramanthri, said. 'There is currently an increased risk of measles in the greater Melbourne and Mitchell Shire, with a number of public exposure sites identified. 'There is also an ongoing risk of measles being imported into Victoria by travellers returning from overseas or interstate.' Victoria has now recorded 23 measles cases this year, surpassing the 2024 total. This comes after similar outbreaks in NSW and Western Australia. Southern and southeast Asia, eastern Europe and the US have been experiencing outbreaks in recent months, with cases in the thousands. A person infected with measles who recently travelled through Pakistan arrived in Melbourne on an Emirates flight on April 24, Dr Weeramanthri said in a statement on Monday. The Department of Health also posted a string of 'exposure sites' in and around the town of Kilmore, which is about 60km north of Melbourne, plus a potential exposure window at Tullamarine Airport. Anyone in around these sites needs to monitor for symptoms for two weeks: International arrivals, terminal 2, between 8.35am to 10.10am on April 20, ALDI Kilmore between 2pm and 3pm on April 21. The library, Coles and Petstock in Kilmore on the afternoon of April 22 are also exposure sites. The infected person then went to the Kilmore District Hospital Urgent Care Centre between 3pm and 4pm on April 23. Anyone on Vietnam Airlines flight VN781 from Ho Chi Minh to Melbourne that landed on the morning of April 20 also needs to monitor for symptoms for two weeks. People who visited Fountain Gate Westfield on the afternoons of April 10 and April 12 should look for symptoms too. Symptoms of measles include fever, cough, sore or red eyes, a runny nose, fatigue, followed by a red rash. The rash usually starts on the face and spreads. 'Measles is a highly infectious disease that can lead to uncommon but serious complications, such as pneumonia and brain inflammation,' Dr Weeramanthri said 'The majority of recent cases have arisen in people who have not had two documented doses of the MMR vaccine.' The vaccine is free for all Victorians.
Yahoo
28-04-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Dire measles outbreak hits major state
Victoria is seeing its worst measles outbreak in a decade, as the global outbreak continues to penetrate Australian borders. Victorian health authorities issued a warning on Monday, with a list of exposure sites that include the Melbourne international airport, a Westfield, Coles, Aldi and a pet store. 'A growing number of measles cases have acquired their infection locally in Victoria,' the state's chief health officer, Tarun Weeramanthri, said. 'There is currently an increased risk of measles in the greater Melbourne and Mitchell Shire, with a number of public exposure sites identified. 'There is also an ongoing risk of measles being imported into Victoria by travellers returning from overseas or interstate.' Victoria has now recorded 23 measles cases this year, surpassing the 2024 total. This comes after similar outbreaks in NSW and Western Australia. Southern and southeast Asia, eastern Europe and the US have been experiencing outbreaks in recent months, with cases in the thousands. A person infected with measles who recently travelled through Pakistan arrived in Melbourne on an Emirates flight on April 24, Dr Weeramanthri said in a statement on Monday. The Department of Health also posted a string of 'exposure sites' in and around the town of Kilmore, which is about 60km north of Melbourne, plus a potential exposure window at Tullamarine Airport. Anyone in around these sites needs to monitor for symptoms for two weeks: International arrivals, terminal 2, between 8.35am to 10.10am on April 20, ALDI Kilmore between 2pm and 3pm on April 21. The library, Coles and Petstock in Kilmore on the afternoon of April 22 are also exposure sites. The infected person then went to the Kilmore District Hospital Urgent Care Centre between 3pm and 4pm on April 23. Anyone on Vietnam Airlines flight VN781 from Ho Chi Minh to Melbourne that landed on the morning of April 20 also needs to monitor for symptoms for two weeks. People who visited Fountain Gate Westfield on the afternoons of April 10 and April 12 should look for symptoms too. Symptoms of measles include fever, cough, sore or red eyes, a runny nose, fatigue, followed by a red rash. The rash usually starts on the face and spreads. 'Measles is a highly infectious disease that can lead to uncommon but serious complications, such as pneumonia and brain inflammation,' Dr Weeramanthri said 'The majority of recent cases have arisen in people who have not had two documented doses of the MMR vaccine.' The vaccine is free for all Victorians.
Herald Sun
28-04-2025
- Health
- Herald Sun
Victoria records worst measles outbreak in a decade
Don't miss out on the headlines from Health. Followed categories will be added to My News. Victoria is seeing its worst measles outbreak in a decade, as the global outbreak continues to penetrate Australian borders. Victorian health authorities issued a warning on Monday, with a list of exposure sites that include the Melbourne international airport, a Westfield, Coles, Aldi and a pet store. 'A growing number of measles cases have acquired their infection locally in Victoria,' the state's chief health officer, Tarun Weeramanthri, said. 'There is currently an increased risk of measles in the greater Melbourne and Mitchell Shire, with a number of public exposure sites identified. 'There is also an ongoing risk of measles being imported into Victoria by travellers returning from overseas or interstate.' Victoria has now recorded 23 measles cases this year, surpassing the 2024 total. This comes after similar outbreaks in NSW and Western Australia. Southern and southeast Asia, eastern Europe and the US have been experiencing outbreaks in recent months, with cases in the thousands. A person infected with measles who recently travelled through Pakistan arrived in Melbourne on an Emirates flight on April 24, Dr Weeramanthri said in a statement on Monday. The Department of Health also posted a string of 'exposure sites' in and around the town of Kilmore, which is about 60km north of Melbourne, plus a potential exposure window at Tullamarine Airport. Anyone in around these sites needs to monitor for symptoms for two weeks: International arrivals, terminal 2, between 8.35am to 10.10am on April 20, ALDI Kilmore between 2pm and 3pm on April 21. The library, Coles and Petstock in Kilmore on the afternoon of April 22 are also exposure sites. The infected person then went to the Kilmore District Hospital Urgent Care Centre between 3pm and 4pm on April 23. Anyone on Vietnam Airlines flight VN781 from Ho Chi Minh to Melbourne that landed on the morning of April 20 also needs to monitor for symptoms for two weeks. People who visited Fountain Gate Westfield on the afternoons of April 10 and April 12 should look for symptoms too. Symptoms of measles include fever, cough, sore or red eyes, a runny nose, fatigue, followed by a red rash. The rash usually starts on the face and spreads. 'Measles is a highly infectious disease that can lead to uncommon but serious complications, such as pneumonia and brain inflammation,' Dr Weeramanthri said 'The majority of recent cases have arisen in people who have not had two documented doses of the MMR vaccine.' The vaccine is free for all Victorians. Originally published as Victoria records worst measles outbreak in a decade
