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There have been more cases of measles so far this year than throughout 2017, as the Australian government has urged people to become aware of the symptoms of the infectious disease.
As of April 5 this year, there had been 83 cases of measles, compared with 103 for the whole of 2018 and 81 for the whole of 2017.
Health Minister Greg Hunt said 95% of the community needed to be vaccinated to get immunity and prevent the spread of the disease.
He added that 93.5% of two-year-olds had received two doses of the vaccine, which protected them.
"I am concerned about the recent increase in the number of measles cases in Australia and wish to ensure that our community is well protected against this very serious disease," Hunt said in a statement released on Monday.
"Immunization saves lives, measles vaccine is very effective in protecting lives."
Following the outbreak, Hunt commissioned the Australian Academy of Sciences to work with measles experts to raise awareness of the disease.
Four videos will be published in the coming weeks to explain the disease and its symptoms, available vaccines and to warn people traveling to countries where the risk of measles is high.
NSW Health on Sunday launched a new measles alert after two unvaccinated Australians were vaccinated in Asia.
The two travelers, aged 20, probably contracted the infection during their stay in the Philippines in mid-March and were sick before landing on the Gold Coast on March 30, said NSW Health.
On April 2, they visited stores in Pottsville and Cabarita, in the northern New South Wales River area, before being treated at Murwillumbah and Tweed Hospital the following day.
Since Christmas, New South Wales has recorded 33 cases of measles – a rate almost five times higher than in the previous two years.
Australian Associated Press
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