WA Department of Health is urging immunisation providers to discuss measles vaccination with their patients to ensure they are up to date with the recommended measles vaccination schedule.
At time of publication, Western Australia has recorded 36 measles cases in 2025, compared to six in 2024. There have been 16 cases of measles identified in WA between July and September 2025, of which 5 have been in returned overseas travellers and 11 have been locally acquired.
There is currently an active measles alert in the Perth and Pilbara regions with new exposure locations. Most recent cases visited multiple locations in Perth while infectious (including Perth Airport terminals).
Suspect measles in any patient with fever and rash, especially if they have recently travelled overseas or attended a listed exposure location during the specified period (even if vaccinated).
Refer to the WA Department of Health Measles Quick Guide for information on testing, management and notification in primary health care.
The National Immunisation Program (NIP) and WA Department of Health provide measles-containing vaccines for individuals most at risk in Western Australia, including:
- infants aged 6 months to under 12 months, who are travelling overseas to countries where measles in endemic or experiencing a measles outbreak (after an individual risk assessment undertaken by a medical professional), or to infants between 6 and 12 months of age if they have recently been exposed to someone with measles while they were infectious
- children at 12 months and 18 months
- individuals born after 1965 who have not already received two doses of MMR vaccine.
More information for clinicians on measles immunisation is available on the WA Department of Health website.
WA Department of Health does not recommend serology for people who are unsure if they have had two doses of measles vaccine. Instead, it is recommended that they receive 2 doses of MMR vaccine, at least a month apart.
Information for patients about measles and where to get vaccinated is available on HealthyWA.