Measles circulating undetected in Adelaide after infectious case identified, SA Health says
A file photo showing the skin of a patient after three days of measles infection. (Centres for Disease Control)
In short:
SA Health says the adult acquired the infection locally, and had not recently travelled.
It says the circumstances of the case mean there "is undetected measles circulating in Adelaide".
What's next?
SA Health is urging people who attended a possible exposure site during the relevant times to be alert for symptoms.
South Australia's health department says undetected measles is circulating in Adelaide, after an infection was identified in someone who had not recently travelled.
SA Health said the adult acquired the infection locally, with chief public health officer Nicola Spurrier describing the case as "very much a concern".
SA Health has released a list of possible exposure sites — including trams, food venues, a swimming centre and the BHP building in the CBD — that were attended by the adult while infectious.
Professor Spurrier said measles was "highly contagious" and can have potentially severe consequences.
She said while measles was always concerning, cases in recent years had typically been in people who had travelled overseas.
"In this particular case that we've had notified, they have not travelled, they haven't travelled interstate, they haven't been on a plane and they haven't been overseas and that means we've got undetected measles circulating in Adelaide, which is really very much a concern to us," she told ABC Radio Adelaide.
"We've been for such a long time in a measles-free state, in a way.
"Measles is highly contagious — it's one of the most contagious infectious diseases and it can also have very severe complications and in fact one of those is brain infection or encephalitis."
Professor Spurrier said contact tracing had been undertaken.
SA Health said the measles case visited the following locations while infectious, and that people who were there at the same time might have been exposed:
- January 26: Unley Swimming Centre, Ethel St, Forestville, 4pm to 6:30pm
- January 27: 9:42am Adelaide Metro Tram from Forestville to Royal Adelaide Hospital
- 10:11am Adelaide Metro Tram from Royal Adelaide Hospital to South Terrace
- BHP, 10 Franklin Street Adelaide, on 27 January, 9:45am to 5:30pm
- Rolls n Rice, 6/118 King William Street, Adelaide, 12:45pm to 1:30pm
- 48 Flavours, 248 Unley Road, Hyde Park, 5pm to 6:00pm
The BHP office on King William Street in Adelaide is on the list of possible exposure sites. (ABC News: Eugene Boisvert)
SA Health advised anyone not fully immunised, and who attended those locations at those times, "to be alert for symptoms over the next few weeks and to see a doctor if they become ill".
But it urged people who suspected they could have measles to phone their doctor beforehand and tell them why they were intending to attend, "so precautions can be taken to avoid spreading disease to others".
"Once it's in the air and the person leaves, it can actually hang around for about 30 minutes," Professor Spurrier said.
"When you're in an enclosed space — if it's in the change room, for example, it's an enclosed space — then it is highly contagious."
SA Health said the latest case is the second notified in South Australia this year, and it has recommended people ensure they are vaccinated with two doses.
"With measles … you're actually infectious a day before you get the symptoms, and you start off with symptoms which are a cough and a bit of runny nose," Professor Spurrier said.
"It becomes more obvious when, about four days later, you get a rash."