Measles cases at Bendigo Marketplace, Huntly's Strauch Recreation Reserve

THE Department of Health and Human Services has issued another warning after a person with measles attended Strauch Recreation Reserve in Huntly between 10am and 1.30pm on May 12.

The department warned people who attended football games on the Sunday during those times might have been exposed to the infection.

It urged people who were unsure of their vaccination history to attend a GP to have a blood test to check their measles immune status.

Earlier

Bendigo Health and Bendigo Marketplace have both issued warnings after a second confirmed case of measles was found in Bendigo.

The organisations are urging people to be aware of measles symptoms.

The Department of Health and Human Services also issued an alert saying an adult who had visited Bendigo and Echuca had been diagnosed with measles.

Bendigo Marketplace notified retailers that a confirmed case of measles had attended the centre on Friday, May 10, between 10.45am and 2.30pm.

Anyone who was at Bendigo Marketplace at this time could have been exposed to the infection.

Bendigo Health confirmed a person was discharged from hospital on Tuesday following treatment for measles. The health organisation also put a notice on its Facebook page saying it had been made aware of the case.

"If you are worried you or a family member has symptoms please contact your local GP and ask them how they would like to proceed," it reads. "Given the contagious nature of this disease please only present to our emergency department if you are too unwell to go to the GP."

A DHHS spokesman said the case is related to a confirmed case of measles in the Bendigo and Heathcote area that was confirmed at the beginning of May.

That case involved a man from the Bendigo region in his 40s who acquired the virus in a South East Asian country.

RELATED: Measles alert for Bendigo and Heathcote area

The two cases are the only ones confirmed in the Bendigo region this year.

No cases have been confirmed in Bendigo for the past three years.

The case is unrelated to the cluster of six measles cases that DHHS found in Melbourne earlier this month.

Measles is a highly infectious viral disease that can cause serious illness. Young children and adults with weakened immune systems are particularly susceptible.

Early symptoms include runny nose, red eyes and a cough followed by fever and a rash.

"The characteristic measles rash usually begins three to seven days after the first symptoms, generally starting on the face and then spreading to the rest of the body," Victoria's acting chief health officer Angie Bone said.

"Anyone developing symptoms is advised to ring ahead to their general practitioner or hospital first and tell them that they may have measles so that appropriate steps can be taken to avoid contact with other patients.

"If you think you might have measles, it's a good idea to stay away from other people as much as possible, particularly those who are unvaccinated or most at risk of serious illness, until you have been assessed by a doctor."

People need to have received two doses of measles-containing vaccine to be fully protected.

DHHS said many adults have only received one vaccine against measles and therefore most cases are in this age group.

Most people born before 1966 will have been exposed to measles in childhood, and therefore will be protected.

"This means if you are an adult born in or after 1966 - especially if you are planning travel overseas - you may be susceptible and should contact your GP to get vaccinated - and a free Measles, Mumps, Rubella vaccine is available," Dr Bone said.

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