UK worst in G7 for MMR jab rates, as 30m children worldwide not fully immunised

Vaccination rates have gone backwards in some middle- and high-income countries and stagnated in other regions. Photograph: Lindsey Wasson/Reuters

Millions of children worldwide are at growing risk of serious illness and death due to declining infant vaccination rates, experts have warned, while the UK ranks worst of major western economies for MMR immunisation.

Figures released by the World Health Organization and Unicef show that more than 30 million children worldwide are not fully immunised against measles, mumps and rubella and 14.3 million children have not received a single routine infant vaccination.