A new report published by NSW Health has revealed an ongoing surge in measles cases in NSW is predominantly linked to overseas travel, specifically countries in Southeast Asia.
Dr Vicky Sheppeard, Executive Director of Health Protection NSW, said between 1 January 2025 and 7 March 2026, there have been 60 measles cases notified to NSW Health. Of these:
- 34 were acquired overseas, with 32 of those cases having travelled to countries in Southeast Asia.
- It's believed the remaining 2 overseas cases were acquired outside Southeast Asia
- Of the 26 cases acquired locally, 18 were linked to a known overseas acquired case, and 8 had no known source at the time of reporting
Three quarters of these measles cases were people aged 20 years and over.
Cases in children have remained low, with only 8 notifications in children under 9 years of age.
Dr Sheppeard said Australia was declared measles free in 2014 and continues to maintain this status largely thanks to high vaccination rates, however the virus remains common in many parts of the world, including Southeast Asia.
"The latest NSW Health data shows although measles can sometimes spread locally in NSW, most cases are linked to international travel," Dr Sheppeard said.
"School holidays are approaching, when many families travel, so we are calling on people to use this data as a timely reminder of why vaccination is so important."
Dr Sheppeard said measles is one of the most contagious diseases, with nine out of 10 susceptible people exposed to the measles virus going on to develop the illness. It spreads easily through coughing and sneezing by infected individuals
Despite being highly contagious, measles is vaccine preventable. Two doses of measles vaccine received at least 4 weeks apart provide long term protection in 99 per cent of vaccinated people.
"Measles vaccine has been around for a long time, however, because of changes in the vaccination recommendations over time, both here and overseas, many adults may not have received the two doses we now know provides the best protection against measles," Dr Sheppeard said.
"Measles vaccine is free in NSW for anyone born after 1965 who hasn't already had two doses. People who are unsure of whether they have had two doses should get a vaccine, as additional doses are safe. This is particularly important prior to travel."
The National Immunisation Program provides free measles vaccines to children up to 19 years of age, recommended to be given at 12 months and 18 months of age.
Additionally, children aged from 6 to 11 months can have an extra, early, dose of measles vaccine if they are travelling overseas. Parents should consult their GP.
"By maintaining high vaccination rates in Australia, we can limit the spread of measles if it is brought in from overseas. Achieving a rate of 95% or higher also provides herd immunity to protect those who can't be vaccinated due to their age or medical conditions," Dr Sheppeard said.
Measles vaccine is available from GPs (all ages) and pharmacies (people over 5 years of age).
For more information on measles, view the measles factsheet .
If you, or a loved one, is experiencing measles symptoms, or have questions about measles, please call your GP or healthdirect on 1800 022 222.
