Western Australia has recorded two new cases of measles linked to travel to Bali, bringing the state's total to 35 cases in 2025—a sharp rise from six cases in all of 2024. Health authorities have issued an alert after the infected individuals visited multiple locations in Perth while infectious, including shopping centres and the airport.
WA Health confirmed the two new cases on Saturday, urging anyone who visited the exposure sites to monitor for symptoms. The cases are part of a broader outbreak, with five travellers returning from Bali between July and September testing positive. However, local transmission is also a concern, with 10 of the 15 cases detected in this period being locally acquired.
An outbreak was declared in Far North Queensland on Thursday, with the latest case there also linked to Bali travel. Earlier in July, staff at a Pilbara mine site were forced into isolation after two people with measles visited the region.
Dr. Clare Huppatz from WA Health emphasized that while measles is rare in Australia, large outbreaks are occurring overseas. “There is an ongoing risk of measles being brought into WA from overseas, especially from popular holiday destinations such as South-East Asia,” she said. She urged travellers to get vaccinated at least two weeks before departure.
WA Health has expanded the state-funded immunisation program to include the measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine for infants aged six to 11 months who are travelling to high-risk countries. The MMR vaccine is free and highly effective.
