Parents are being asked to check children are fully up to date with their MMR vaccinations by checking their vaccine record in their Red Book as data published today by UKHSA shows there has been a rise in measles cases.
Between 1 January and 20 April this year, there have been 49 cases of measles compared to 54 cases in the whole of 2022. Most of the cases have been in London although there have been cases picked up across the country, including six laboratory confirmed cases in the South West. Some cases are linked to travel abroad.
Professor Dominic Mellon, Deputy Director for UKHSA, said: “Measles is not ‘just a harmless childhood illness’. It 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 increasing. During the COVID-19 pandemic we saw a fall in uptake for the routine childhood vaccinations, including MMR which leaves us vulnerable to outbreaks, especially as people start to travel abroad for summer holidays to places where measles is more common.
