29 February 2024 , 15:07
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Parents in the UK have been urged to check their child's jabs are up to date after yet another rise in measles cases.
The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) confirmed a further 69 laboratory confirmed measles cases have been confirmed in England since last week - bringing the total number since October to 650.
Although an outbreak in the West Midlands had initially dominated cases this autumn and winter, clusters of cases in other regions such as the North West have continued to increase in the past week. A total 17 cases were reported in October, 42 in November, 158 in December 2023, 268 in January and 165 so far in February 2024.
Broken down by region, 63% (410 of 650) of these cases have been in the West Midlands, 15% (95 of 650) in London and 7% (46 of 650) in Yorkshire and The Humber. The remaining cases were reported in other regions of England.
Measles cases continue to rise in the UK (stock image) (Getty Images)Measles is spread via tiny droplets that come out of the nose and mouth. These usually develop 10-12 days after exposure to an infected person, and last seven to 10 days.
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Symptoms include high fever sore, red, watery eyes, coughing and/or runny nose, small red spots with bluish-white centres inside the mouth, and red-brown blotchy rash, which appears after several days. Having the MMR vaccine is by far the best way to prevent the infection, which in the worst case scenarios can lead to pneumonia, meningitis, blindness and seizures.
The latest measles figures come as the NHS launched a new marketing campaign targeted at parents and carers to encourage vaccine uptake in children. It follows the recent rise in measles and whooping cough. In one hard-hitting video advertisement, a child says to the camera: “If we’re not vaccinated, we’re not protected.”
A new video released by the Government urges parents to protect kids from deadly disease (UKHSA)Explaining the new MMR vaccine campaign, Health Minister Maria Caulfield said: "Parents want what is best for their children – and that includes the vital protection that vaccines provide from preventable diseases. This campaign is an important step to engage local communities and highlight the importance of immunisation, as diseases like measles are not illnesses of the past. We want to make sure parents know how and where they can get essential jabs for their children as quickly as possible. Please check your children’s vaccination record and book in an appointment to get the jabs they need."
Professor Dame Jenny Harries, Chief Executive of UKHSA, said: "We need an urgent reversal of the decline in the uptake of childhood vaccinations to protect our communities. Through this campaign we are particularly appealing to parents to check their children’s vaccination status and book appointments if their children have missed any immunisations. The ongoing measles outbreak we are seeing is a reminder of the very present threat.
"While the majority of the country is protected, there are still high numbers of children in some areas that continue to be unprotected from preventable diseases. It is not just their own health that can suffer, but other unvaccinated people around them such as school friends, family and those in their community could also experience serious infections. Unless uptake improves we will start to see the diseases that these vaccines protect against re-emerging and causing more serious illness."