Queensland children may soon be battling both a highly contagious disease and one of Australia’s most common respiratory conditions.

Along with recent cases of measles, a new study has found warm weather increases the risk of asthma attacks in babies.

Zuzanna Kamusinski reports.

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Sixteen people have contracted measles in southeast Queensland since August.

The most recent, a 13-year-old from Byron Bay who visited Dreamworld during the school holidays.

Five Queenslanders contracted the disease in Bali.

With concerns of a potential outbreak, parents are being warned to be alert and if they haven’t get their children immunised.

Jeannette Young, Qld Chief Health Officer: “If you’re not vaccinated and you’re exposed to someone with measles, you’ll get it.”

The measles alert comes amid the release of findings from a 7-year study into the effects of weather events on asthma.

The study was conducted by researches here at the QUT School of Public Health, as well as others from around Queensland and China.

It found parents shouldn’t just be alert in cooler months hot weather and heatwaves can also trigger the respiratory condition, especially in babies.

Peter Anderson, Qld Asthma Foundation: “Weather changes and pollen etcetera can trigger an asthma attack in people with asthma, so this is a new finding, something we haven’t been aware of and certainly something that’s important for parents to be aware of.”

With extreme weather conditions predicted this summer, parents are urged to keep a close eye on their children’s health.

Zuzanna Kamusinski, QUT News.