Any Brits planning to jet off abroad this summer have been warned of outbreaks of a potentially deadly Victorian-era disease across Europe.
Measles is one of the world's most contagious diseases, according to the World Health Organisation (WHO), and is spread by coughing and sneezing. The virus remains active and contagious in the air or on infected surfaces for up to two hours, and can be transmitted by an infected person from four days prior to the onset of the measles rash to four days after it erupts.
Measles is a serious infection that in rare cases can lead to life-changing or even life-threatening complications, including pneumonia, meningitis, blindness and seizures. Outbreaks of the virus have recently been reported in 17 countries in the WHO European region, BirminghamLive reports.
READ MORE: NHS signs and symptoms of measles in children after warning of rise in cases across UK
Global statistics show that Tajikistan currently has the highest number of measles cases with over 600, followed by Turkey with 466 and the Russian Federation with 414. The UK is in fourth place with 67 cases, followed by Serbia on 40, while other countries on the list include Austria, Poland, France and Belgium.
Dr Jose Hagan, Team Lead for Vaccine-preventable Diseases and Immunization at WHO/Europe said: "All countries, including those verified as having eliminated endemic transmission of measles, must be vigilant for possible importation and spread of this highly contagious disease."
In Britain, the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) said: "Most of the cases have been in London, although there have been cases picked up across the country and some are linked to travel abroad." Earlier this month the UKHSA warned that there had been an increase of measles in the UK, with 49 cases between January and April alone compared to 54 cases in the whole of 2022.
According to the NHS, the first symptoms of measles are usually cold-like and include:
- High temperature
- A runny or blocked nose
- Sneezing
- A cough
- Red, sore, watery eyes
A few days after these initial signs appear, small white spots may appear inside the cheeks and on the back of the lips. The measles rash will also typically appear a few days after the cold-like symptoms first manifest, starting on the face and behind the ears before spreading to the rest of the body.
The NHS says it is "very unlikely" to be measles if the patient has had both doses of the MMR vaccine, or has had measles before. If you think you or your child may have measles, or have been in close contact with someone who has measles and you're either pregnant, have a weakened immune system, or have not had two doses of the MMR vaccine, ask for an urgent GP appointment or get help from NHS 111.
According to the WHO, measles vaccination resulted in a 73% drop in measles deaths between the years 2000 and 2018 worldwide - preventing an estimated 23.2 million deaths from the infection. The MMR vaccine, which protects against mumps and rubella as well as measles, is free on the NHS and is offered to all children in the UK, with two doses offering lifelong protection against the diseases - you can check with your GP if you're unsure whether you have received both doses of the vaccine.
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