Cases of measles are on the rise in England, data shows, and public health experts are calling for children, teenagers and adults to take up free vaccinations against the potentially deadly disease.
Measles was considered to be eliminated in the UK in 2016 and 2017, meaning transmission had stopped, but by 2018 it was spreading once more, and there were 880 confirmed cases in 2019.
Restrictions imposed during the COVID pandemic meant measles cases subsequently fell, with data from the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) revealing there were just two confirmed measles cases in 2021 and 54 in 2022.
Now experts say measles cases are rising once more: according to the UKHSA, between 1 January and 2 April this year, 49 cases of measles were confirmed in England, about two-thirds of which were in London.
Experts are calling for parents and guardians to ensure their children are up to date with their MMR vaccinations. The measles, mumps and rubella vaccine (known as the MMR jab) is given to children in two doses, with the first administered at one year old and the second at three years and four months.
Dr Vanessa Saliba, a Consultant Epidemiologist at UKHSA, said it was never too late to catch up on vaccinations, with the jabs free on the NHS. She said,
Measles spreads very easily and can lead to complications that require a stay in hospital and on rare occasions can cause lifelong disability or death, so it is very concerning to see cases starting to pick up this year”.
More information here.
