Health authorities in New South Wales have issued an urgent measles alert for Sydney Airport and Concord Repatriation General Hospital after confirming that an infectious traveler passed through both locations in recent days, heightening concerns for passengers arriving from and transiting to Southeast Asia during the peak holiday travel period.

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New South Wales Confirms Third Imported Measles Case in a Week

NSW Health confirmed on 4 January 2026 that a measles case in an adult traveler has triggered fresh warnings for anyone who passed through specific areas of Sydney Airport and inner western Sydney.

The case is the third measles infection detected in travelers returning to the state in just one week, all linked to recent trips to countries in Southeast Asia where sustained measles outbreaks are under way.

The infected person flew on Qantas flight QF748 from Adelaide to Sydney on 29 December 2025, arriving at 10:30 pm, before moving through the Sydney Airport Domestic Arrivals Hall at Terminal 3 between 10:30 pm and 11:00 pm. Several days later, on 3 January 2026, the same individual attended the Concord Repatriation General Hospital emergency department between 1:00 pm and 4:10 pm while infectious.

Authorities stress that the airport and hospital do not pose an ongoing risk, as measles is not transmitted from surfaces long term.

The risk applies specifically to people who were present at these locations at the same time, or shortly after, the infected traveler. Those potentially exposed are now being urged to monitor closely for symptoms through mid and late January.

Officials say the cluster of imported cases underscores how quickly measles can return to countries that previously achieved elimination, particularly when international travel rebounds and immunization coverage slips below the levels needed to maintain herd protection.

Exposure Windows and What Travelers Need to Know

NSW Health has provided detailed exposure windows for people who transited Sydney Airport or visited Concord Hospital during the critical time frames.

Anyone who was on Qantas flight QF748 from Adelaide to Sydney on 29 December 2025, or who was in the Domestic Arrivals Hall at Terminal 3 from 10:30 pm to 11:00 pm that night, is advised to watch for symptoms of measles until 16 January 2026.

The monitoring period is even longer for those who visited Concord Repatriation General Hospital’s emergency department on 3 January 2026 between 1:00 pm and 4:10 pm.

Because measles can incubate for up to 18 days after exposure, people who were in the department at that time are asked to remain vigilant for symptoms until 21 January 2026.

Anyone who becomes unwell is urged to call ahead before visiting a doctor or emergency department, to avoid exposing vulnerable patients in waiting rooms.

These alerts follow a separate warning issued just days earlier for Sydney International Airport and Blacktown Hospital, after another traveler returned from Southeast Asia with measles and passed through the international arrivals hall on 27 December 2025.

Health officials emphasize that many people who were at the airport or hospital during the listed windows will not fall ill, particularly if they are fully vaccinated. However, they stress that people who are not immune face a significant risk of infection because measles is among the most contagious viruses known.

Passengers and airport workers who may have been in close proximity to returning travelers are being reminded to check their vaccination records and to contact their general practitioner if they are unsure about their immunity status, especially if they were born after 1965 and may not have received two documented doses of measles-containing vaccine.

Health officials in New South Wales and across Australia have drawn a direct connection between the recent Sydney and Concord exposure sites and ongoing measles transmission in Southeast Asia.

The confirmed cases in NSW all involve travelers who had recently visited countries in the region, including popular holiday destinations in Indonesia, Vietnam and Thailand, where authorities have reported surging measles numbers.

Public health experts note that measles is often imported into Australia by returning tourists or visiting relatives, particularly during the southern hemisphere summer holiday season when outbound travel to Bali, Bangkok, Ho Chi Minh City and other regional hubs is at its peak.

Even a single undiagnosed case can seed multiple exposure sites, as seen with the current cluster that spans shopping centers, cafes, cinemas, airports and hospitals across several Australian states.

Globally, measles has been resurgent in the wake of the COVID 19 pandemic, which disrupted routine childhood vaccination programs and routine health outreach in many countries.

International agencies estimate that tens of thousands of mostly young children died from measles in 2024 alone, and warn that large outbreaks continue across parts of Asia, Africa and Europe.

Australia, though still officially measles free, has already seen a sharp increase in imported and secondary cases compared with previous years.

Authorities in Western Australia, Victoria and South Australia have issued their own alerts related to imported cases linked to Southeast Asia, urging all outbound travelers to ensure they are fully vaccinated at least two weeks before departure.

The latest NSW case, which moved between Adelaide and Sydney, illustrates how swiftly measles can cross internal borders once it enters the country.

Rising Case Numbers Revive Concerns About Vaccination Gaps

The Sydney Airport and Concord Hospital alerts arrive against a backdrop of gradually declining measles vaccination rates in Australia.

National coverage for two doses of the measles mumps rubella (MMR) vaccine in two year olds has fallen below 95 percent, which is the level widely regarded as necessary to maintain herd immunity against measles.

In some communities coverage is several percentage points lower, leaving pockets of children and adults susceptible to infection.

Data compiled by health agencies show that Australia recorded more than 160 measles cases in 2025, nearly three times the total cases documented in 2024.

A significant proportion of those infections were imported or directly linked to travel, but experts say the growing number of susceptible people within the country makes it easier for the virus to spread once introduced.

Clinicians warn that complacency is a major concern. Because measles has been rare in Australia for many years, some parents may not appreciate how severe the disease can be.

Complications such as pneumonia, middle ear infection, severe diarrhea and, more rarely, brain inflammation can lead to hospitalization or long term disability.

Young children, pregnant women and people with weakened immune systems are at highest risk of serious outcomes.

Australian immunization programs provide MMR vaccine free of charge through the National Immunisation Program, including catch up doses for adults born after the mid 1960s who have not received two documented doses.

Health departments are using the current alerts to urge people to review their immunization history and to speak with their doctor or pharmacist if any uncertainty remains.

What Symptoms to Watch for After Possible Measles Exposure

Officials are asking anyone who visited the listed exposure sites in Sydney or who has recently returned from Southeast Asia to remain alert for the classic early warning signs of measles.

These symptoms typically begin with a high fever, sore or red eyes, runny nose and a cough. After three or four days, a red blotchy rash usually appears, starting on the face and head before spreading down the body.

Given the incubation period of 7 to 18 days, people exposed at Sydney Airport on 29 December 2025 may not develop symptoms until mid January 2026, while those who were in the emergency department at Concord Hospital on 3 January 2026 could fall ill any time up to 21 January 2026.

Health authorities emphasize that anyone who becomes unwell during this period should stay home, wear a mask if they must be around others, and seek medical advice promptly.

Because measles is so contagious, individuals who suspect they might have the infection are urged to call ahead before attending a doctor’s office, urgent care center or hospital emergency department.

This allows staff to move them into a separate area quickly, reducing the chance of exposing infants, pregnant women, people with cancer and other high risk patients in communal waiting areas.

While many people recover from measles without complications, a significant minority require medical care or hospitalization.

Health professionals therefore advise against assuming that measles is a routine childhood illness, and recommend that travelers and families respond quickly to any compatible symptoms, especially if they have recently been at a named exposure site or traveled through a region with ongoing outbreaks.

Advice for International Travelers and Airport Passengers

For travelers, the latest alerts from NSW Health serve as a stark reminder that international airports are critical nodes in the global spread of infectious diseases such as measles.

Passengers flying into or out of Sydney, particularly those arriving from Southeast Asia, are being advised to check their vaccination status well before boarding, and to consider consulting a travel medicine clinic if they plan to visit countries with active measles transmission.

The MMR vaccine is considered highly effective, with two doses providing around 95 percent protection against measles.

In New South Wales and other Australian states, the vaccine is available from general practitioners and many community pharmacies, often at no cost for people who fall within funded age groups or who need catch up doses.

Infants as young as six months may be eligible for an early dose if they are traveling to places with high measles activity, though this should be discussed with a doctor.

Airlines and airport operators are not currently changing schedules or imposing additional screening measures in response to the Sydney and Concord alerts.

However, they are cooperating with public health authorities to support contact tracing where possible, and to ensure that staff receive updated guidance on recognizing possible measles symptoms in passengers and colleagues.

Frequent flyers, airline crew members and airport workers who spend long hours in terminals are also being encouraged to confirm that they are fully immunized.

Public health specialists say that maintaining high levels of immunity among people who regularly interact with travelers is an important safeguard against chains of transmission that might otherwise go undetected.

Impact on Hospitals and Community Health Services

The identification of Concord Repatriation General Hospital as an exposure site illustrates the challenges that measles presents to hospitals and emergency departments, particularly during busy holiday periods.

A single infectious patient can potentially expose dozens of people in a waiting room, including some who are highly vulnerable, before staff recognize the signs or receive laboratory confirmation.

Hospitals in Sydney and across New South Wales have been reminded to review their triage protocols, ensuring that patients with fever and rash, or with a history of recent overseas travel, are promptly masked and separated from others while being assessed.

Many facilities are also checking staff vaccination records, as immunity among healthcare workers is considered a crucial line of defense in preventing hospital based outbreaks.

Community health services, general practices and after hours clinics are likewise on alert. Public health units are distributing updated clinical guidelines on measles recognition, testing and infection control, and are encouraging providers to raise the topic of vaccination during routine visits.

With case numbers rising nationally, authorities see the current Sydney alerts as an opportunity to reinforce prevention messages well beyond the specific exposure windows.

Public messaging campaigns are focusing in particular on families with young children and on adults born after 1965 who may have missed routine vaccination or received only a single dose.

Health departments report that many measles cases in recent years have occurred in people who believed they were protected, only to discover that their vaccination records were incomplete or unavailable.

FAQ

Q1: Who is most at risk from the Sydney Airport and Concord Hospital measles alerts?
People who were on Qantas flight QF748 from Adelaide to Sydney on 29 December 2025, in the Sydney Airport Domestic Arrivals Hall at Terminal 3 from 10:30 pm to 11:00 pm that day, or in Concord Hospital’s emergency department on 3 January 2026 between 1:00 pm and 4:10 pm are considered potentially exposed, especially if they are unvaccinated or unsure of their measles immunity.

Q2: What are the typical symptoms of measles I should watch for?
Measles usually begins with a high fever, runny nose, red or sore eyes and a cough, followed after several days by a red blotchy rash that starts on the face and spreads down the body, sometimes accompanied by feeling very unwell and sensitive to light.

Q3: How long after exposure can measles symptoms appear?
Symptoms typically develop about 10 days after exposure, but they can appear anywhere between 7 and 18 days, which is why NSW Health has set monitoring dates up to 16 and 21 January 2026 for people at the named Sydney sites.

Q4: What should I do if I develop symptoms and think I was exposed?
If you become unwell with fever, cough, runny nose or rash after being at one of the listed locations or after travel from Southeast Asia, you should call your doctor, urgent care center or hospital in advance, describe your symptoms and possible exposure, and follow their instructions rather than simply walking into a waiting room.

Q5: Are travelers from Southeast Asia at especially high risk right now?
Yes, returning travelers from Southeast Asia are at higher risk because several countries in the region are experiencing active measles outbreaks, and unvaccinated or under vaccinated visitors can easily contract the virus and bring it back to Australia.

Q6: How effective is the measles mumps rubella (MMR) vaccine?
Two documented doses of MMR vaccine provide about 95 percent protection against measles and significantly reduce the risk of severe disease or complications, making it the cornerstone of both individual and community level protection.

Q7: I am an adult and unsure of my vaccination history, what should I do?
If you are unsure whether you have had two doses of measles containing vaccine, especially if you were born after 1965, health authorities advise getting vaccinated, as extra doses are safe and help ensure you are fully protected, particularly before overseas travel.

Q8: Is there any treatment if I was exposed but am not yet sick?
In some cases, measles vaccination or immune globulin given shortly after exposure can reduce the chance of developing the disease or lessen its severity, so people at very high risk should seek urgent medical advice if they know they were exposed.

Q9: Do the airport and hospital still pose a danger now?
No, the listed areas at Sydney Airport and Concord Hospital do not pose an ongoing risk, because measles virus does not survive for long periods in the environment; the concern is limited to those who were present during the specific exposure windows or shortly afterward.

Q10: What general advice are authorities giving to travelers ahead of overseas trips?
Authorities are urging anyone planning overseas travel, especially to Southeast Asia, to confirm they have received two doses of MMR vaccine at least two weeks before departure, to carry a record of their immunization status if possible, and to seek prompt medical care if they develop fever and rash during or after their trip.