New measles alert issued by NSW amid concerns about declining vaccination rates
One child in Texas, who was unvaccinated, has died from measles this year. (Centres for Disease Control)
Health departments around the country are warning Australians to be alert for symptoms of measles as concerns grow about a rise in cases amid declining vaccination rates.
The NSW health department has issued a new warning after a returning traveller caught a flight, walked through Sydney airport and visited locations in the Central West region while infectious.
So far this year, 33 cases have been confirmed across Australia: 16 in New South Wales, 14 in Victoria and one case each in the Northern Territory, South Australia and Western Australia.
Combine that with a troubling post-COVID drop in the number of Australians getting their kids fully vaccinated against the potentially-deadly disease, and there's concern cases could explode.
What is measles?
Measles is one of the world's most contagious diseases and is spread via airborne virus particles that can remain active in a room or on surfaces for up to two hours.
It was declared eliminated from Australia in 2014 but is now surging, with concerns that three months into 2025 we could soon surpass last year's measles total of 56 cases.
Initial symptoms normally begin around 10-14 days after exposure and can include fever, cough and a runny nose.
A distinctive, red, blotchy rash then starts to appear over the body, including on the face, and spreads before fading.
Measles can also cause serious complications like ear infections, blindness, breathing problems and encephalitis (inflammation of the brain), which can lead to death.
Australia has recorded an uptick in measles cases, particularly in NSW and Victoria. (Supplied: WA Department of Health, File photo)
Why are we seeing more measles cases?
There have been measles outbreaks around the world, including thousands of cases in popular holiday destinations for Australians including Vietnam, Thailand and Indonesia.
That means more Australians are being exposed while travelling overseas and potentially bringing measles back into Australia.
Since 2020 there has also been a concerning decline in the proportion of children getting immunised, according to Professor Kristine Macartney, the director of the National Centre for Immunisation Research and Surveillance.
"We're seeing drops that have added up to somewhere between 2 to 4 per cent fewer children under the age of five getting the full complement of vaccines on time," she said.
That might not seem like a huge decline, but because measles is highly contagious, the World Health Organization recommends a community vaccination rate of at least 95 per cent to ensure it doesn't spread.
At around that level, the community reaches "herd immunity".
On top of an overall decline, there are parts of Australia, including areas of the Sunshine Coast and Northern New South Wales, where vaccination rates are as low as 77 per cent, which could prove disastrous if measles starts spreading in those areas.
Couple the lower immunisation rates with travel picking up again after COVID and you've got a "perfect storm situation", said Dr Tim Jones, chair of child and young persons' health at the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners.
"Measles is incredibly contagious — it's far more contagious than something like COVID," he said.
"An infectious traveller on a flight is going to spread it readily, and if there are people there who are not fully protected against it, they will start spreading it through their community when they arrive home."
Why are vaccination rates dropping?
There seems to be two factors driving declining vaccination rates.
The first is growing vaccine hesitancy.
Professor Macartney said since COVID, Australians were being increasingly bombarded with misinformation about vaccines.
"More recently, there's been a lot of increasing disinformation and fake news about vaccines that inevitably will reach people through social media and their networks," she said.
Measles is probably most widely known for its rash, but the disease can spread to other organs such as the lungs or brain. (Centres for Disease Control)
Research has shown trusted healthcare workers are critical in providing accurate vaccine information and having conversations with families concerned about vaccinating their kids.
But that brings us to the second factor driving declining vaccination rates: people are simply finding it harder to see a GP.
Dr Jones said more families were struggling to get appointments or were worried about the cost.
"The standard of care in Australia is for vaccine appointments to be bulk-billed but increasingly we're seeing areas where there just isn't the provision of primary care services," he said.
Where are measles cases around the world?
Measles is re-emerging around the world, particularly in developing countries but also, worryingly, in the United States, where hundreds of cases have been recorded this year.
Most of those have been in Texas, which has recorded 327 cases since late January. Forty people have been hospitalised and one child, who was not vaccinated and had no underlying conditions, has died.
Dr Tim Jones said mixed messaging from US health leaders had muddied the water for families confused about the best thing for their kids.
"I think anywhere where there is doubt and fear it is easy for people to hesitate and when that happens, that's when people are going to potentially put themselves in risky situations," he said.
"To see that Texas has just had the first death of a child to measles in 20 years is not something I ever thought I'd be seeing when I signed onto to be a doctor 15 years ago."
Message to parents yet to get their kids vaccinated
If you have been putting off getting your kids vaccinated, now is the time to see your GP, especially if you are planning overseas travel.
While the first measles vaccine is scheduled at 12 months, in some cases babies visiting high-risk areas can be vaccinated as early as six months.
Professor Macartney said the vaccines used in Australia were both highly effective and very safe for children.
"As an infectious diseases specialist my whole life, caring for families with serious illness in the hospital: This is not a place that you want to be," she said.
"It's heartbreaking to see otherwise healthy children admitted for a disease that is preventable.
"By getting your child vaccinated, know that you are doing the very best thing to protect your child."
Professor Macartney said the message was simple.
"Make the appointment. Take the time to see your GP [or], even have a discussion with the pharmacist about the importance of immunisation," she said.