If you live in New South Wales, you've probably seen at least one measles alert this year: a list of shopping centres, train lines or emergency departments that an infectious person visited before they knew they were sick. Alerts like these have appeared in Sydney, Newcastle and Adelaide throughout 2026, and in August a national study found that around 1.7 million Australians may not be fully protected against measles.

That combination raises some fair questions. How common is measles in Australia right now? Am I protected? What should I do if I was at one of those locations? And if I'm not sure about my vaccination history, is it safe to get another dose?

This FAQ answers the questions people are asking in 2026, using the latest guidance from Australian health authorities (as of the date of writing). If you're after a broader introduction to the illness itself, our earlier guides cover how to identify and manage measles and how to tell measles apart from a common cold.

What's happening with measles in Australia right now?

How many measles cases has Australia had in 2026?

Australia recorded 113 measles cases in the first seven and a half months of 2026, according to national surveillance data reported by NCIRS in August. For context, the full-year total was 181 in 2025 and 57 in 2024. In 2022 there were only single figures.

New South Wales has recorded the most cases of any state. NSW Health reported 56 confirmed cases between 1 January and early October. Alerts have also been issued in Western Australia, including a Perth alert in late October, and in South Australia.

These numbers are small next to the thousands of cases seen before widespread vaccination. 

Where are the cases coming from?

Most cases start overseas. According to the Australian Centre for Disease Control, most 2026 cases have been in under-vaccinated people who caught measles while travelling, followed by limited spread to under-vaccinated contacts back home.

Many recent alerts involve travellers returning from South-East Asia, India or Japan. Measles activity is high across much of South and South-East Asia this year. Bangladesh is experiencing its largest outbreak in decades, and India has also reported very high case numbers.

For Australians, this matters because the region includes some of our most popular holiday and family-visit destinations.

Is measles spreading locally, or only in travellers?

Mostly in travellers, but there has been some local spread. Several times this year, NSW Health has confirmed a case in someone who hadn't travelled, had no contact with a known case and hadn't visited a listed exposure site. When that happens, it suggests measles has spread between people who didn't know they were infected.

In September, SA Health also announced an outbreak linked to a secondary school in Adelaide. In each situation, public health teams traced contacts and offered vaccination to stop further spread. That approach has so far kept these clusters from growing into sustained community transmission.

What is a measles "exposure site", and what should I do if I was at one?

An exposure site is a place an infectious person visited before they were diagnosed. Health departments publish the location, date and time window so anyone who was there can watch for symptoms. The site itself doesn't pose an ongoing risk once that window has passed.

If you were at a listed location at the listed time:

1. Check your vaccination status. If you've had two documented doses of a measles-containing vaccine, or were born before 1966, your risk is low.

2. If you're not fully vaccinated, contact your GP or local public health unit quickly. An MMR (measles-mumps-rubella) vaccine given within 72 hours of exposure may prevent illness. For people who can't have the vaccine, such as babies under 6 months, pregnant women and people with weakened immune systems, an antibody injection called normal human immunoglobulin may be offered up to 6 days after exposure, according to the Australian Immunisation Handbook.

3. Watch for symptoms for up to 18 days. Early signs include fever, tiredness, cough, runny nose and sore eyes, followed a few days later by a red, blotchy rash that starts on the face.

4. Call ahead before visiting a clinic. If symptoms appear, phone your GP or emergency department first so they can arrange to see you without exposing others in the waiting room.

The Australian government also advises that anyone who develops cold-like symptoms followed by a rash should consider measles, even if they didn't visit a listed site. You can find current exposure locations on your state or territory health department website.

What did the new NCIRS measles study find?

In August 2026, researchers at the National Centre for Immunisation Research and Surveillance (NCIRS) published the most detailed estimate yet of measles immunity across the whole Australian population. They combined blood-test surveys, which measure how many people carry protective antibodies, with national vaccination records.

They estimated that in 2019, about 1.7 million Australians (6.7%) were susceptible to measles, meaning they didn't have enough immunity to be protected if exposed. That leaves overall population immunity at 93.3%.

That figure matters because of herd protection: when enough people are immune, the virus struggles to find new people to infect, which protects those who can't be vaccinated. For a disease as contagious as measles, the World Health Organization's target range is 93–95%. Australia sits at the bottom of that range, and the researchers caution that immunity may now be lower because childhood vaccination rates have dropped since the COVID-19 pandemic.

This is a modelled estimate rather than a headcount, and the true number could be higher or lower. Even so, it's the clearest picture available of where Australia's immunity gaps are.

Which generations are least protected?

The study's most useful finding is that protection varies a lot depending on when you were born, mostly because of how vaccination programs changed over the decades.

Source: Croker et al., Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health, 2026

The practical takeaway is that the gaps are concentrated among adults now in their late 20s to late 40s. Many of them have young children and travel overseas often. The study also found that people aged 15–35 made up half of Australia's measles cases between 2008 and 2022.

If you were born before 1966, you're generally considered immune. That's why Australian guidance focuses on people born during or since 1966 making sure they've had two doses.

Why are babies and young children a particular concern?

Babies under 12 months haven't had their first routine dose, so they depend on the people around them being immune. Measles also tends to be more severe in young children, with a higher risk of complications such as pneumonia.

This is where the generational gaps matter most. The adults most likely to have incomplete protection are often the parents, grandparents, carers and older siblings of young children. When those adults are fully vaccinated, it's much harder for measles to reach the baby in the first place.

How do I check whether I've had two doses of the measles vaccine?

Start with the Australian Immunisation Register (AIR), the national record of vaccines given in Australia. You can download your immunisation history statement through your Medicare account in myGov or the Express Plus Medicare app, or ask your GP or pharmacist to look it up.

If you're an adult, don't be surprised if your childhood doses aren't there. The register only began recording vaccines for all ages in 2016, so earlier doses may be missing. Other places to look include an old "blue book" or baby health record, school vaccination records, or records from the country you grew up in.

I'm not sure about my vaccination history. Is it safe to get another dose?

Yes. If you were born during or since 1966 and can't confirm two doses, Australian guidance is to simply get vaccinated. As NCIRS puts it, if you're unsure whether you've had two doses, it's safe to have one or two doses if needed.

An extra dose doesn't add risk for people who were already immune. A blood test to check immunity is possible, but it usually isn't necessary before vaccination. If you need two doses, they're given at least four weeks apart.

Measles vaccines in Australia come as a combined measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine; there's no measles-only version. Side effects are usually mild, such as a sore arm or a low fever. Some people develop a mild fever or rash about 5–14 days after vaccination. This isn't contagious and usually passes on its own.

Is the measles vaccine free for adults?

Often, yes, but it depends on your age and where you live.

• Children receive two free doses under the National Immunisation Program at 12 and 18 months.

• People under 20 who missed doses, and refugees and humanitarian entrants of any age, can get free catch-up doses nationally.

• Adults born after 1965 without two documented doses can get a free MMR vaccine through state-funded programs in several states, including NSW and Western Australia. Victoria runs a state-funded catch-up program for adults aged 20–59.

Eligibility and program end dates vary, and a consultation fee may apply even when the vaccine itself is free. Check your state or territory health department website, or ask your GP or pharmacist. Many community pharmacies can give the MMR vaccine without an appointment with a doctor.

Should I get vaccinated before travelling overseas?

If you were born during or since 1966 and don't have two documented doses, yes, and ideally at least two weeks before you leave so your body has time to build protection.

Travel is the main way measles enters Australia. Measles activity is currently high in several popular destinations in South and South-East Asia. Airports, flights and busy tourist areas bring many people together in shared indoor air. Our 2025 measles guide covers travel risk in more detail, and Smartraveller lists current health alerts by destination.

If you feel unwell within three weeks of getting home, especially with fever, cough or sore eyes followed by a rash, call your GP before visiting and mention where you've travelled.

Can my baby get the measles vaccine early if we're travelling?

Possibly. Babies normally get their first measles dose at 12 months, but if you're travelling with a baby aged 6 to 11 months, talk to your GP or immunisation provider about an early dose.

An early dose gives short-term protection but doesn't replace the routine schedule. Babies vaccinated before 12 months still need two further doses at the usual ages. Babies under 6 months are too young for the vaccine, so it's worth discussing travel plans with your doctor well before you go.

Can I have the measles vaccine if I'm pregnant or planning a pregnancy?

The MMR vaccine contains a weakened live virus, so it isn't given during pregnancy. If you're planning a pregnancy, it's a good idea to check your immunity beforehand and catch up on any missing doses. After vaccination, you should avoid becoming pregnant for 28 days.

If you're pregnant and think you've been exposed to measles, contact your doctor or midwife straight away. People who can't have the vaccine can be offered an antibody injection (immunoglobulin) for short-term protection, but it needs to be given within six days of exposure. Being around someone who was recently vaccinated poses no risk to a pregnant woman.

Australia is "measles-free", so why are we still getting cases?

"Eliminated" doesn't mean measles has disappeared from Australia. It means the virus isn't circulating continuously here. Cases still arrive from overseas, and some lead to small local clusters, but those chains of infection are contained before they become established.

The World Health Organization verified Australia's measles elimination in 2014, and we've kept that status since. It's a significant achievement: measles was once a routine childhood illness in Australia, with outbreaks of thousands of cases.

Could Australia lose its measles elimination status?

It's possible, which is why health authorities are paying close attention. A country loses its status when the same chain of measles transmission continues locally for 12 months or more.

Several countries with strong health systems have lost their status recently:

• Canada lost its status in November 2025 after an outbreak sparked by a single imported case grew to more than 5,000 cases.

• The United Kingdom, Spain and Austria were among six countries in Europe and Central Asia that the WHO confirmed in January 2026 had re-established measles transmission.

• The United States has been under review after recording more measles cases in 2026 than in any year in decades.

The NCIRS researchers found that Australia's immunity levels across relevant age groups are broadly similar to those in the US, England and New Zealand. Australia's situation is different from those countries for now: our cases are still mostly imported, and local clusters have been contained. But as NCIRS's Associate Professor Frank Beard put it, elimination status isn't guaranteed and has to be actively maintained.

In practice, that comes down to the same thing as individual protection: the more people who are fully vaccinated, the less chance measles has to find a foothold.

Quick refresher: Measles basics

What are the first symptoms of measles?

Measles usually starts like a bad cold: fever, tiredness, cough, runny nose and red, sore eyes. Around three or four days later, a red, blotchy rash appears, typically starting on the face and hairline before spreading down the body. Symptoms usually begin about 10 days after exposure, but it can take up to 18 days.

How contagious is measles?

Very. Measles is one of the most contagious infections known. It spreads through the air when an infected person breathes, coughs or sneezes, and the virus can linger in a room for up to two hours after they've left. People are infectious from about four days before the rash appears until four days after, so they often spread it before they know they're sick.

Can you still get measles after being vaccinated?

It's possible but uncommon. Two doses of the measles vaccine are about 97–99% effective. In the rare cases where a fully vaccinated person does catch measles, the illness is usually milder and they're less likely to pass it on.

The one thing to do this week: Check your measles vaccination record

Measles cases in Australia are still low by historical standards, and most are linked to overseas travel. Being alert rather than alarmed is the right response. Even so, the 2026 figures and the NCIRS study point to the same simple step: if you were born during or since 1966, check that you've had two doses of a measles-containing vaccine.

It takes a few minutes in your Medicare account. If you can't find a record, a GP or pharmacist can vaccinate you, often for free, and an extra dose is safe. That's especially worth doing before an overseas trip, or if you're around babies who are too young to be vaccinated.

Vaccination is the main protection against measles, and nothing replaces it. If you're caring for someone who is unwell, or need to attend a clinic with symptoms after calling ahead, a well-fitted P2 respirator can help reduce the spread of airborne particles. For trips away, our Travel Safe Packs bring masks, hand hygiene products and rapid tests together in one kit.

This article provides general information only and isn't a substitute for personal medical advice. If you have questions about measles or your vaccination status, speak with your GP, pharmacist or call healthdirect on 1800 022 222.