Executive Summary
- Western Australia’s health department has confirmed 54 measles cases year-to-date in 2025, prompting a public health alert.
- An extensive list of exposure sites has been released, including airports, hospitals, and shopping centers across the state.
- Officials urge anyone potentially exposed to monitor for symptoms and advise those who are unvaccinated, especially international travelers, to get the MMR vaccine.
Health officials in Western Australia have issued a public alert after 54 cases of measles were identified so far in 2025. The WA Department of Health’s Communicable Disease Control Directorate released an advisory listing numerous public exposure sites and urged the community to be vigilant for symptoms of the highly infectious virus.
Exposure Locations and Official Advice
An extensive list of exposure locations has been published, spanning from late October to early November 2025. The sites include high-traffic areas such as the Perth International Airport, multiple hospital emergency departments including Albany Health Campus and Fiona Stanley Hospital, and various retail outlets like Treendale Shopping Centre. Officials advise that there is no ongoing risk at these locations but that anyone present during the specified times should monitor for symptoms.
According to the alert issued by Dr. Paul Armstrong, Director of Communicable Disease Control, measles is an airborne virus that can remain infectious in a room for up to 30 minutes after an infected person has left. Symptoms typically develop 7 to 18 days after exposure and include fever, cough, runny nose, sore red eyes, and a characteristic blotchy rash that appears 3-4 days later.
High-Risk Individuals and Vaccinations
Individuals considered most at risk include those born after 1965 who have not received two doses of a measles-containing vaccine, young children, pregnant women, and immunocompromised people. The health department emphasizes that two doses of the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine provide effective immunity. Authorities are also highlighting the risk associated with international travel, as several countries are currently experiencing significant measles outbreaks.
Anyone who develops symptoms is instructed to call ahead to their general practitioner or emergency department before visiting to allow for appropriate infection control measures to be put in place. The advisory also urges the public, particularly those planning to travel overseas, to ensure their vaccinations are up to date.