A new health alert has been issued following a confirmed case of measles in Sydney’s inner south.

NSW Health urges people to stay alert for signs and symptoms of the highly contagious infectious disease after a confirmed case was identified travelling through Sydney International Airport on Monday.

The person had recently returned from South-East Asia, where there are ongoing outbreaks of measles in several countries including Thailand, Vietnam, and Indonesia.

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People who were on board Vietnam Airlines flight VN773, which departed Ho Chi Minh City at 8.00pm on Sunday and arrived in Sydney at around 8am Monday, or who has attended the International Arrivals and Baggage collection areas between 8 and 9.30am on Monday, should watch for the development of symptoms.

“Symptoms to watch out for include fever, sore eyes, runny nose and a cough, usually followed three or four days later by a red, blotchy rash that spreads from the head and face to the rest of the body,” South Western Sydney Local Health District Acting Director of Public Health Mitchell Smith said.

Dr Smith said while the airport locations pose no ongoing risk, if you or someone you know visited the locations at the same time as the infected case, you should monitor for symptoms.

“It can take up to 18 days for symptoms to appear after an exposure, so it’s important for people who visited these locations to look out for symptoms up until July 4,” he said.

Measles is a vaccine-preventable disease that is spread through the air when someone who is infectious coughs or sneezes.

It can also be transmitted through direct contact with an infected person or by touching contaminated surfaces.

“It’s important for people to stay vigilant if they’ve been exposed, and if they develop symptoms, to please call ahead to their GP or emergency department to ensure they do not spend time in the waiting room with other patients,” Smith said.

“We want to remind the community to make sure they are up-to-date with their vaccinations.

“The measles vaccine can prevent the disease even after exposure, if given early enough.

“This should be a reminder for everyone to check that they are protected against measles, which is highly infectious.”

Measles alerts are still active in parts of Victoria after an infant was infected overseas and travelled back to Victoria before attending the Joan Kirner Women’s and Children’s Hospital in Albans on Saturday and Sunday.

Although Australia eliminated measles by March 2014, according to the Department of Health, Disability and Ageing, outbreaks have happened in multiple states and territories this year.

Between January 1 and June 20, 2025, 80 people were diagnosed with measles in Australia, 32 of those cases were recorded in Victoria, and 22 in NSW.

This is compared to only 57 cases recorded in Australia in all of 2024.

Do I need to be vaccinated?

Anyone born after 1965 needs to ensure they have had two doses of measles vaccine, NSW Health said.

Anyone who is unsure of whether they have had two doses should get a vaccine, as the health department said additional doses are safe.

Making sure you are vaccinated against measles is particularly important prior to travel, with Smith warning measles outbreaks are occurring in several areas around the world at the moment.

Children under the age of 12 months can have their first dose of MMR up to six months earlier if they are travelling to areas with a high risk for measles, however, parents should consult their GP.

MMR vaccines are available from GP clinics to people of all ages, and at pharmacies for people over 5 years of age.