15.01.2020
1 min read

WA's first measles and meningococcal cases for 2020 confirmed

A person who contracted measles overseas attended several Perth shopping centres in early January and could have exposed others to infection.
West Australians are being asked to watch out for symptoms after a measles case was confirmed in Perth's northern suburbs.

West Australians are being urged to watch out for symptoms after a measles case was confirmed in Perth's northern suburbs.

The person acquired the viral illness overseas before attending shopping centres in Morley, Kingsley, Greenwood and Dianella on January 7 and 8.

The first measles case for 2020 has been diagnosed in Western Australia. Credit: Douglas Sacha/File/Getty Images

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People without immunity who attended the shopping centres on those dates could be exposed to infection, the health department says.

Symptoms include fever, coughing, a runny nose and sore eyes, and about one-in-every-five sufferers will require hospital admission.

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An adult is meanwhile recovering after becoming the first person in WA to contract invasive meningococcal disease this year.

The uncommon but life-threatening illness is caused by a bacterial infection and can progress rapidly.