1.7 million Australians are unprotected against measles
An estimated 1.7 million Australians, or 6.7% of the population, were susceptible (did not have sufficient immunity) to measles in 2019, a major new study led by the National Centre for Immunisation Research and Surveillance (NCIRS) has revealed.
In a recent study led by the National Centre for Immunisation Research and Surveillance (NCIRS), it was discovered that 1.7 million Australians, representing 6.7% of the population, lacked adequate immunity to measles in 2019. The study found that overall measles immunity in Australia was 93.3%, with nearly 7% of Australians estimated to be susceptible to the virus if exposed.
Experts warn that these immunity gaps may have widened since 2019 due to declining childhood vaccination rates. The findings coincide with a global increase in measles outbreaks and cases imported into Australia. National measles notifications have surged from single digits in 2022 to 181 in 2025, with 113 cases reported so far in 2026.
This study is the first to combine national immunization register data with multiple serosurveys to analyze measles susceptibility across all age groups in Australia. The research highlights that susceptibility is highest among infants and cohorts born from the late 1970s onward, while every birth cohort from 1977 onward is estimated to have at least 5% susceptible to measles.
With half of the measles cases between 2008 and 2022 occurring in people aged 15-35, the study emphasizes that even small immunity gaps can allow the virus to spread in communities, especially when cases are imported from overseas. Australia has maintained its World Health Organization (WHO)-certified measles elimination status since 2014, but the study warns that immunity isn't evenly distributed across the population.
Associate Professor Frank Beard, senior author of the study, stresses that maintaining high population immunity is crucial to prevent outbreaks. Measles is highly preventable through vaccination, and the researchers encourage Australians, particularly those planning international travel, to check their vaccination status and get vaccinated if necessary.
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