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Confirmed measles case sparks warning for Perth locals

Western Australians travelling to Bali have been put on high alert following a confirmed measles outbreak in the region.

A WA traveller is the latest confirmed case of the disease, and triggered a 'public health emergency' warning from the Department of Health.

The Department said people could have been exposed to the recent case if they visited the following locations in Perth between April 27 and April 30:

  • Thursday April 27: around 3pm at the Coles supermarket in Fitzgerald Street, North Perth
  • Friday April 28: around 8am at the IGA supermarket in Second Avenue, Mount Lawley
  • Friday April 28: around 3pm at Vintage Cellars in Second Avenue, Mount Lawley
  • Saturday April 29: between 9am and 10.20am at Loftus Recreation Centre in Leederville
  • Saturday April 29- around 6pm to 7pm at Domino's Pizza in Beaufort Street, Inglewood
  • Sunday April 30- around 2pm at the Coles supermarket in Guildford Road, Maylands

WA Health medical epidemiologist doctor Gary Dowse said while public health staff had been attempting to warn people who had been potentially exposed to the disease, it was not possible to identify and specifically warn people who were in the listed public places.

There have been more than 20 separate importations of measles from Bali to WA since 2014, with seven already this year.

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"Unfortunately it is not unusual for Australians to be infected with measles overseas, including in Bali, but the increase in the number of cases in WA and other states in recent months suggests there is an ongoing measles outbreak in Bali," he said.

Doctor Dowse said it was important for anyone who thought they may have been infected to call their GP surgery or emergency department ahead of time to prevent spreading the disease, and to make sure they were up to date with their vaccinations.

Symptoms include a cough, runny nose, sore red eyes and a rash, and can start developing two to three weeks after the initial infection.

Complications following measles can be serious and include ear infections and pneumonia in about 10 per cent of cases. Around 40 per cent of cases require hospitalisation and about one person in every 1,000 will develop encephalitis, inflammation of the brain.