Measles

Statutory notification

• Measles is a notifiable infectious disease in Western Australia.
• Alert: Cases must be reported urgently by telephone to the local public health unit within a few hours of first suspicion of diagnosis.
• Case definition: See Measles (external site) national surveillance case definition.
• Notification: Notify using the communicable disease notification form for metropolitan residents (PDF 214KB) or regional residents (PDF 213KB). For notification of regional residents see contact details of public health units.
• See also description of statutory medical notifications in Western Australia.

Public health summary

• Infectious agent: Measles virus.
• Transmission: Measles is highly infectious and can be spread via airborne and respiratory droplets to those sharing the same airspace.
• Incubation period: 7-18 days (average 10 days) from exposure to fever and usually 14 days until rash appears.
• Infectious period: People are usually infectious from 24 hours prior to onset of prodromal symptoms until 4 days after onset of rash. Where the prodrome is undefined, the onset of the infectious period is considered to be 4 days before rash onset.
• Case exclusion: Cases should not attend childcare, school or work from onset of symptoms to 4 days after onset of rash and should stay home (unless isolated in hospital). See Measles – CDNA National Guidelines for Public Health Units (external site).
• Contact exclusion: Exclude unimmunised contacts from childcare and school. See Measles – CDNA National Guidelines for Public Health Units (external site).
• Treatment: No specific antiviral treatment. Symptomatic treatment only.
• Immunisation:
  • MMR vaccines to be administered according to the Western Australian immunisation schedule.
  • Anyone born in or after 1966 who is not immune to measles should have two doses of measles vaccine, this especially applies to health care workers, childcare workers or people who plan to travel overseas.
  • Infants aged under 12 months, who are travelling overseas to countries experiencing a measles outbreak can receive a free measles vaccine (MMR) from six months of age, after an individual risk assessment by their general practitioner or travel doctor (consultation fees may apply).
  • Healthcare facilities should have an occupational vaccination program in place that offers measles immunity screening/vaccination to new and existing staff (including administrative staff) – see Measles – CDNA National Guidelines for Public Health Units (external site) for acceptable evidence of immunity. The Australian Immunisation Handbook provides guidance on Vaccination for people at occupational risk (external site) and Vaccination for people who care for others (external site). Also see RACGP Staff immunisation policy and procedures (external site).
  • For clinical guidance on MMR vaccination, visit the Measles immunisation program page and the Australian Immunisation Handbook – Measles (external site).
• Case follow-up: Conducted by local public health units and the Communicable Disease Control Directorate.

Information and resources for health providers

• Measles quick guide for primary healthcare workers (PDF 324KB)
• Aboriginal Health Council of WA (AHCWA) measles resources (external site)
• Western Australian immunisation schedule
• Measles immunisation program page
• Australian Immunisation Handbook – Measles (external site)
• Measles poster – EDs (PDF 940KB)
• Measles poster – GPs (PDF 939KB)
• Measles poster – Clinician testing guidelines (PDF 934KB)
• RACGP Measles fact sheet and checklist (external site)
• The New England Journal of Medicine Measles 2025 (external site)
• Communicable Disease Guidelines, for teachers, child care workers, local government authorities and medical practitioners (PDF 386KB)

Guidelines for public health units

• Measles – CDNA National Guidelines for Public Health Units (external site)
• Measles public health unit checklist (Word 566KB)
• Measles information for contacts (Word 583KB)
• Measles case investigation form (Word 279KB)
• Measles – letter templates for contacts (Word 348KB)
• Measles – script template for waiting room contacts (Word 595KB)
• Protocol for accessing immunoglobulin blood products for public health indications in WA (PDF 470KB)

Notifiable disease data and reports

• Notifiable infectious disease dashboard
• General infectious disease reports