Geraldton Universities Centre and St John of God Hospital identified as exposure site for measles

Geraldton has been identified as an exposure site for measles at St John of God Geraldton Hospital and Geraldton Universities Centre in an alert from the WA Department of Health this week.

Measles is known for its fever-like symptoms and nasty rash, with the department revealing on Wednesday that it had been detected in the reception of the local private hospital and the universities centre on Thursday, February 19.

Health professionals advise anyone who happened to be within the vicinity of the locations to monitor their symptoms for seven to 18 days.

The hospital was flagged as an exposure site between the times of 12pm and 1pm, while the universities centre was flagged between 9am and 12.30pm.

Three measles cases have been identified in WA so far this year.

Health Department director of communicable disease control directorate Dr Paul Armstrong, who raised the alarm, said people with measles usually felt very unwell, with some needing hospital attention in extreme cases due to complications like pneumonia and encephalitis.

“Those who have previously been vaccinated may still develop measles, however the infection is usually milder and doesn’t last as long,” he said.

“People with measles are infectious from one day before their symptoms start and up until four days after their rash appears.”

Dr Armstrong said it was important for anyone who visited an exposure location during the flagged periods on February 19 to keep a close eye on their symptoms, especially those not immune to measles.

People who have received and have proof of two measles vaccinations, or those born before 1966, are considered immune to the illness.

There is no ongoing risk of measles at the two Geraldton locations, outside of the dates and times listed, Dr Armstrong’s alert stated.

Anyone who develops symptoms of measles was advised to put on a mask, isolate and seek medical care to be tested for the disease.