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A new report summarising a decade of Australian measles surveillance data shows a very clear picture of who is most at risk of getting measles.
Over the decade to 2024, there were 1,095 measles notifications, with the highest numbers in 2014 (339) and 2019 (284).
Almost all cases had either been acquired overseas or from someone who had brought measles back to Australia from overseas.
Measles was most common among people who:
- were aged 20 to 49 years – who accounted for 57% of total notifications
- either were unvaccinated (47%), had an unknown vaccination status (30%), or were under-vaccinated (one dose) (14%)
- had travelled overseas – especially to countries experiencing measles cases.
This is consistent with more recent data throughout 2025 and 2026.
Last year, there were 181 cases of measles in Australia. This year, there have been several clusters – with 85 cases so far.
Vaccination is the best protection against measles.
It not only protects you against a highly contagious disease that can be very serious, but also helps shield people at higher risk of severe disease and complications like:
- children who are too young to get vaccinated
- pregnant people
- people who are immunocompromised
- people who can’t get vaccinated.
The report highlights the steadily decreasing childhood measles vaccination rate in Australia, which has dropped from 94% in 2020 to just over 91% in 2024. This puts these groups at higher risk from reduced herd immunity.
If you haven’t had 2 doses of measles vaccine – or don’t know whether you have – speak with your healthcare professional about your vaccine eligibility.
Knowing your measles vaccination status is important at any time, but the findings of this report highlight that it’s vital before travel.
Plan well ahead of your travel, as you will need 2 doses of the vaccine at a minimum 4 weeks apart for full protection against measles.
For more information, read:
- the Measles epidemiology in Australia: 2014 to 2024 report
- our measles information page
- the National Notifiable Diseases Surveillance System dashboard – for the latest data on measles
- Smartraveller.