Key Points
- The World Health Organization has reported a spike in Europe's measles cases.
- NSW Health has urged eligible residents to get vaccinated and be on high alert for measles symptoms.
- An epidemiologist weighs in on whether we can expect an outbreak in Australia.
Measles cases have soared in Europe, with 45 times more cases in 2023 than the previous year, prompting concerns about a rise in numbers Australia wide.
The World Health Organization (WHO) has issued a warning about the spread of the infectious disease after the number of annual cases in Europe jumped from 941 to 42,200 in 12 months.
Measles is a highly contagious virus that spreads easily when people cough or sneeze. It is most common in children, but can affect anyone.
Western Sydney residents were put on high alert to look out for symptoms of measles on Wednesday after an adult with a confirmed case transited through Sydney while infectious.
So is Australia susceptible to an outbreak?
Why are measles cases on the rise?
Dr Stefanie Vaccher, an epidemiologist at the Burnet Institute, said the problem with measles is that the airborne virus is "really contagious".
"It's very easy to spread to other people. And so one case can infect up to 18 other people," Vaccher told SBS News.
She said in order to prevent an outbreak "virtually everyone" that wasn't immunocompromised needed both doses of the measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine, as the disease needs a higher than 95 per cent rate of vaccination.
Vaccination rates against measles have been dropping across the globe, with the WHO reporting that 1.8 million infants in Europe were not vaccinated against measles between 2020 and 2022.
Vaccher said there is a "gap in coverage" for a variety of reasons including vaccination delays due to the pandemic as well as a return to travel putting more people at risk.
"There are gaps in the number of people that are getting vaccinated. Some of that might be attributable to the COVID-19 pandemic when clinics and health centers were shut. People didn't want to go to the doctor and there might have been delays in getting vaccinated," she said.
"We're also seeing a resurgence in travel... And especially if they're going to countries where measles is endemic at the moment there is a real risk of catching measles."
Will we see an outbreak of measles in Australia?
Vaccher said it was important to remain vigilant about being vaccinated, which is the only form of keeping an outbreak at bay.
She said the danger lies in people choosing not to vaccinate, with children eligible for their first dose at 12 months, as it creates a growing pool of people where measles can take hold.
According to Vaccher, the Northern Rivers region in NSW has some of the lowest vaccine coverage rates in Australia, meaning if one person caught measles it could quickly spread.
“As opposed to if one person travelled back to Australia and everyone around them was immunised, even if they got measles, they're not going to spread it or pass it on to anyone because there's no [one] that they can pass it on to," she said.
She noted that children six months or older can be vaccinated if they are traveling to a country where measles is endemic, with Europe now added to that list.
NSW Health has urged all residents to be on the lookout for symptoms of measles, which appear seven to 18 days after exposure, and include fever, runny nose, sore swollen eyes and a cough.
Several days later people can expect to develop a red maculopapular rash, which is unusual as it is both raised and flat, that spreads from the head to the rest of the body.
If you are concerned you have the measles authorities urge you to contact your doctor and alert them them to your symptoms prior to arrival so that they can isolate you and prevent further spread.
WHO estimates that measles vaccines have helped prevent 56 million deaths between 2000 and 2021.
- with additional reporting from AFP
