NSW Health issues warning as two young babies catch measles

Two Sydney babies have contracted measles in the past month, health authorities say.

NSW Health has issued its 15th measles warning for the year after two babies too young to be vaccinated became infected in mid-March, reports SBS News.

An eight-month-old baby likely contracted the disease in the Haymarket area and was infectious while visiting a Strathfield Korean restaurant on March 26, a Hurstville cafe on March 27 and St George hospital emergency department on March 30.

The other baby, aged 11 months, likely caught the disease in Eastwood before visiting shopping centres in Eastwood, Castle Hill and Kellyville in the last week of March.

NSW recorded 46 measles cases between January 2017 and November 2018. Twenty-eight cases have been recorded in the four months since.

The Health Department says that maintaining high immunization rates helps reduce the risk of measles.

"Herd immunity provides protection to those unable to be vaccinated such as infants and people with weakened immune systems," NSW Health communicable diseases director Dr Vicky Sheppeard said in a statement.

Around the world, measles outbreaks doubled last year. In the United States, the New York County of Rockland declared a state of emergency and banned unvaccinated children from public places for 30 days while the community grapples with the longest measles outbreak for 20 years.

High-profile WAGs and other social media "influencers" have been slammed in recent months for promoting an 'anti-vax' agenda.