A Public Health Alert has been announced by NT Health warning about measles following an outbreak interstate and overseas.
Territorian’s are now being urged to check their vaccinations to see if they are protected against the deadly virus before heading off during the Easter holiday and prevent the spread of bringing it into the NT.
With a fever, runny nose, cough and red/watery eyes being some of the symptoms, Director at the Centre of Disease Control Dr Vicki Krause says it can turn dangerous quickly.
“People get pneumonia from it and there are hospitalizations and so it’s certainly something to avoid before you’re going interstate and really important if you’re going overseas.”
The highly contagious viral infection can also lead to ear infections and diarrhoea, with many people diagnosed with measles ending up in hospital.
People need two doses of measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine to have immunity, and NT Health are advising adults born after 1966 and babies over the age of 12 months to book in for the doses.
