Measles alert after patient flies in from Bali to Bunnings

WA Health is warning locals about the risk of measles after a traveller infected with the disease returned from Bali and visited multiple locations around the state.

The full range of the person’s movements are not known, but officials confirmed that they visited a Perth Bunnings, a grocery store, and an outback pub over two weeks.

Now, WA Health is warning the people of Western Australia to be “vigilant for symptoms of measles” as they shared the times and dates of the measles patient’s movements.

Two dates in particular were flagged by WA Health:

On Sunday September 3, the infected person visited the Royal Mail Hotel in Meekatharra in the state’s mid-west.

They reportedly stayed there for over two hours from 5:45 pm to 8 pm.

The following Sunday on September 11, between 12pm and 2pm the person visited Spud Shed Kelmscott, and Bunnings Armadale, two shopping outlets in Perth’s south.

Anyone who attended the exposure sites during the times released by WA health could have been exposed to measles and should monitor for symptoms.

People who contract measles typically develop symptoms around 10 days after being exposed to the virus, but this can vary from seven to 18 days.

Early warning signs of infection include fever, cough, runny nose and sore eyes, followed by a red non-itchy rash three or four days later.

Most people are vaccinated for measles at an early age, but children under 12 months who may not have been fully immunised are most vulnerable.

Immunocompromised people, young children and pregnant women remain are most at risk of severe ilness if infected.

Babies as young as 6 months are elligble for their measles vaccines.