Two babies too young to be vaccinated have contracted measles in Sydney, as NSW is on track to record its highest rate of the disease in five years.
An eight-month-old and an 11-month-old have been diagnosed with the highly-contagious infection, prompting NSW Health to again warn the public to be looking out for measles symptoms.
The infants likely caught the infection from two previously reported measles cases, who spent time in a number of public places while infectious: a backpacker in the CBD and a man in Eastwood.
The babies bring the total number of measles cases in NSW since Christmas to 29.
The two cases highlight the importance of maintaining high rates of measles immunisation within communities (herd immunity) to cut the risk of travellers unknowingly acquiring the disease overseas and bringing it back to Australia, NSW Health advised.
Herd immunity also helps to stop the spread of measles and protects people who are unable to be vaccinated, including infants under 12 months old and people with weakened immune systems.
The eight-month-old most likely contracted the disease in the Haymarket area near World Square. While infectious, the baby spent time at:
Source: The Sydney Morning Herald
