Measles Alert Issued in Two States as Highly Infectious and Potentially Deadly Disease Spreads: Urgent Health Warning for Travellers and Locals
- NSW and WA issue urgent measles alerts after confirmed cases reported in Sydney and Perth
- Travellers who returned from South-East Asia sparked the outbreak, with several exposure sites identified
- Health experts warn of the highly infectious and potentially deadly disease, urging people to check their vaccination status
- Anyone who visited the exposure sites is warned to watch for symptoms, which can take up to 18 days to appear
Panic has set in as two Australian states issue urgent measles alerts, with several confirmed cases reported in Sydney and Perth. The highly infectious and potentially deadly disease has sparked a health warning for travellers and locals, with several exposure sites identified.
In NSW, a confirmed case of measles was reported after a person returned from South-East Asia, where ongoing outbreaks are occurring in several countries, including Thailand, Vietnam, and Indonesia. The person was infectious on December 27 when they arrived on Flight GA712 from Jakarta, and later visited Blacktown Hospital Emergency Department waiting room.
NSW Health has warned people who were on the flight or in the hospital waiting room to watch for symptoms, which can take up to 18 days to appear. “Symptoms to watch out for include fever, sore eyes, runny nose and a cough, usually followed three or four days later by a red, blotchy rash that spreads from the head and face to the rest of the body,” said Dr Conrad Moreira, acting director of public health for Western Sydney Local Health District.
In a stark warning, Dr Moreira urged people to seek medical help if they experience symptoms, but to call ahead to reduce the risk of further exposure to other people in waiting rooms. “It’s essential for people who visited these locations to look out for symptoms until January 17, 2026,” he said.
In WA, a similar alert was issued after a traveller returned from overseas, bringing the total measles cases in the state to 60 over the past year. WA Health warned people who visited Beeliar Hive Pharmacy and Lagoon Medical Centre/Beeliar Medicare Urgent Care Clinic on December 27 to monitor for symptoms for seven to 18 days post-exposure.
Infectious diseases professor Allen Cheng said overseas travel accounted for just under half of the cases recorded in Australia, while the rest were typically linked to secondary exposure. “So, someone has come back from overseas and transmitted it to someone locally, so it still does reflect that most of the cases are originating overseas,” he said.
Health experts are urging people to check their vaccination status, especially before overseas travel. “The measles vaccine can prevent the disease even after exposure, if given early enough,” said Dr Moreira. “We want to remind the community to make sure they are up to date with their vaccinations.”