Current Health Alerts & Warnings

Territory Health Alerts as at 30 December 2011

• Top End flood waters
• Smoky conditions in Alice Springs
• Measles alert
• Protect against midges
• Increase risk of melioidosis
• Salt Marsh mosquito problem areas
• Stinger season

Measles alert -  9 December 2011

There have been two cases of measles in the Northern Territory in the past week. Measles is a very contagious disease which can be spread to non-immune people by casual contact with a person who is infected (usually via coughing or sneezing).

If you are not immune to measles it is easy to catch it from a person who is infected with the virus. To be immune you need to have either had measles or have had two measles vaccinations. If you were born before 1960 you are likely to have had measles.

Early symptoms of measles are:

• cough
• fever
• runny nose
• sore eyes

 A red rash then appears a few days later.

If you think you are not immune to measles and have early symptoms of measles (fever, cough, runny nose, sore eyes) contact your GP clinic and inform them that you might have measles. They should arrange for you to wait in a separate room before being seen by the doctor.

For more information on measles see the Centre for Disease Control's measles factsheets: 

• Measles Contact Information
• Measles Fact Sheet

Or contact your doctor or local Centre for Disease Control:

Other Territory Health advice

• Health Advice for Visitors
• Beach Water Quality Information
• Flu Vaccine Information