SYDNEY, Aug. 27 (Xinhua) -- Health authorities of the Australian state of Western Australia (WA) have urged residents planning overseas travel to ensure they are fully protected against measles amid a rise in imported cases.
The alert comes after three new measles cases were detected in travelers returning from Bali, Indonesia, according to a statement released Wednesday by the Government of WA Department of Health.
The cases visited multiple venues in the WA state capital of Perth while unknowingly infectious, potentially exposing the public to measles, the statement said.
WA has recorded 33 measles cases so far in 2025, compared to six last year, it said.
Paul Armstrong, director of the communicable diseases control directorate under the WA Department of Health, said it was a timely reminder for the community to keep vaccinations current, especially with many planning overseas travel during the October school holidays.
Armstrong stressed that the measles-mumps-rubella vaccine is extremely effective and free for all Western Australians, adding that a growing number of cases are being brought in from overseas.
"Measles is highly infectious and can cause serious illness, particularly in babies and young children and often requires hospitalization, and in rare cases, blindness or even death," he said. ■
