Public health alert: Measles (September/October 2025)
Queensland Health has been notified of a confirmed case of measles with potential infection exposure sites identified across Brisbane and Mooloolaba.
Cases are expected to increase over the next few weeks given the large numbers of people potentially exposed.
The index cases have been travel-related (mostly from Bali, Indonesia) with subsequent spread within community and healthcare settings.
View current measles exposure sites on Queensland Health’s webpage.
For guidance on the assessment and management of measles and suspected measles, visit Brisbane South HealthPathways.
Help minimise the risk of measles infection in medical facilities
Metro South Public Health Unit wishes to remind primary care professionals to remain proactive in minimising measles transmission that can occur in medical settings.
To minimise the risk of transmission when a patient with suspected measles attends a medical facility:
avoid keeping patients with fever and rash in shared waiting areas (send to a separate room immediately). Consider how the patient may be examined in an area that minimises exposure to others
ensure the patient is wearing a surgical mask
leave all rooms that were used to assess the suspected case vacant for at least 30 minutes after the consultation
ensure practice staff in contact with the suspected case are either fully vaccinated (2 doses of measles, mumps, rubella [MMR]) or have a serologically confirmed immunity to measles.
Help ensure your patients are vaccinated
Queensland Health recommends that anyone born in 1966 or after, who has not had 2 documented doses of measles, mumps, rubella (MMR) vaccine or had proven measles, should get vaccinated for measles.
The MMR vaccine is free for children at 12 and 18 months of age as part of the National Immunisation Program (NIP).
In addition to the National Immunisation Program funded measles vaccines, Queensland also funds measles-containing vaccine for:
all children aged 12 and 18 months (with catch-up funded until 20 years of age)
all adolescents and adults born during or after 1966 who have not received 2 doses of a measles-containing vaccine
travellers aged 6 to 12 months who are travelling to countries where measles is endemic, or where measles outbreaks are occurring.
Please note, children who receive vaccine prior to 12 months of age will need to repeat the dose according to the recommended childhood vaccination schedule, (at 12 months of age or 4 weeks after the first dose, whichever is later. See The Australian Immunisation Handbook for further information).
More information about measles vaccines funded under the NIP and state program is available on the Queensland Health Measles page.
The Brisbane South PHN General Practice Quality Improvement team can support your practice to identify eligible patients and establish goals for increasing your vaccination rates. Contact the Quality Improvement team via [email protected] or phone (07) 3864 7540.