Why is measles making a comeback in the UK?

The single-shot measles, mumps and rubella vaccine was first used in the UK in 1988 and is now given widely around the world [File: Eric Risberg/AP]

On Tuesday, the first case of measles in seven years was reported in Northern Ireland.

Outbreaks of measles have sprung up in parts of Britain in recent months amid concerns of what Dr Vanessa Saliba from the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), has called a “worryingly low MMR [measles, mumps and rubella] vaccine uptake in some areas across the country”.