Measles alert: Brisbane health officials issue warning as traveller returns from Bali testing positive

Health authorities have issued a measles warning for communities south of Brisbane after confirming a traveller returning from Bali was infectious while moving through several local areas.

The patient, from Boonah – about 70 kilometres south-west of Brisbane – arrived at Brisbane Airport on Jetstar flight JQ60 just after 5.30am last Tuesday.

In the days that followed, they visited sites in both Yamanto and Boonah before later testing positive to the highly contagious illness.

Dr Catherine Quagliotto, Public Health Physician with West Moreton Health, said measles spreads easily through airborne droplets released by coughing or sneezing.

She stressed that the exposure sites no longer pose a risk to people outside the specific times, but warned that symptoms may not emerge immediately, the Brisbane Times reported.

“Early signs can include fever, cough, runny nose and red or watery eyes, followed a few days later by a distinctive red, blotchy rash,” Dr Quagliotto said.

She noted the rash may take up to six days to show, and people are often infectious for several days before any symptoms appear.

Queensland Health has urged anyone with signs of measles to remain at home and contact a doctor or health professional before presenting in person. Testing is available through GPs and some hospitals in Brisbane. Treatment typically involves rest, fluids, and over-the-counter medication, with most patients recovering within four days of the rash’s appearance.

While serious complications are rare, Dr Quagliotto cautioned that measles can occasionally lead to severe illness. “Vaccination offers the best protection for both individuals and the community,” she said.

Queensland Health identifies those most at risk as people who are unvaccinated and born after 1965, those who are immunocompromised, or individuals who have never contracted measles.

Australia maintains a high vaccination rate, with 93.8 per cent of children over five considered fully immunised. The government provides a free two-dose measles vaccine for infants, as well as free access for adults under 20 and humanitarian entrants needing catch-up doses.

Those who have previously had measles are unlikely to contract it again. However, there is currently no booster for the MMR or MMRV vaccines. Vaccination is not available to people who are pregnant, have compromised immune systems, or have experienced allergic reactions to earlier doses.