Australian health authorities have issued urgent medical alerts following a measles outbreak linked to hotspots in Bali and South East Asia.
Five new measles cases have been recorded in Victoria bringing the state’s total to 13 new cases in 2025 while New South Wales has recorded one new case.
In Victoria, three of the new cases are believed to have been contracted in Bali while two stemmed from earlier recorded local cases.
‘Measles is a highly infectious viral illness that can lead to uncommon but serious complications, such as pneumonia and brain inflammation (encephalitis),’ Victoria’s chief health officer Dr Tarun Weeramanthri said.
Up to one-third of people with measles experience complications and may require hospitalisation, while symptoms can take up to 18 days to present following exposure.
Symptoms include sore eyes, runny nose, fever and coughing usually followed within a few days by a fast-spreading rash.
Victorian officials released a list of potential exposure sites including a number of popular health facilities, hospitality venues and retailers in Melbourne and its surrounds.
Prahran’s Revolver Bar, Taylors Lakes Hotel, Kmart and Big W Highpoint and the Royal Melbourne Hospital were included in the list.
Victoria has recorded 13 new measles cases in 2015 including five cases in recent days
Three of the five recently recorded Victorian measles cases originated in Bali, Indonesia
Anyone who visited the sites on dates between 24 February and 13 March have been advised to monitor for symptoms and to seek medical advice where necessary.
Health authorities in NSW similarly put out an alert on Friday following reports of a single case of measles contracted by a returned traveller from Vietnam.
Potential exposure sites include Vietnam Airlines flight VN773 arriving in Sydney on 10 March at 9.50am, Sydney International Airport arrivals terminal and baggage claim from 10am to midday that day and the Westmead Emergency Department on 13 March.
Measles cases are on the rise globally, including in Europe which recently announced a 25-year-high in reported cases across the continent.
Meanwhile the US has recorded more cases in the opening months of 2025 than it did across the entire year prior.
While Australia’s measles vaccination rate is high by international standards, national coverage has recently dipped below the target rate of 95 per cent.
Similar outbreaks have been recorded across Europe and the UK, the USA, the Middle East and Asia.
A number of Australians are particularly susceptible to the illness, including people who are not vaccinated, infants under 12 months of age, adults born between 1966 and 1992 who may not have received two vaccines and immunocompromised people.
