07 March 2024 , 14:51
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Fears are growing over how measles can cause life-long complications for children as the number of cases continue to grow.
Latest figures show a further 83 people have been confirmed to have the highly contagious disease. Health leaders say any child who hasn't been vaccinated and catches measles is at serious risk. UKHSA's Consultant Epidemiologist, Dr Vanessa Saliba warned: "Worryingly we are continuing to see an increase of measles cases in some areas, most recently in parts of the North-West, where we know MMR vaccine uptake is low.
"Parents are already coming forward to take up the offer of the MMR vaccine for their children, but hundreds of thousands of unvaccinated children are at risk of serious illness or life-long complications. The disease spreads very easily among those who are unvaccinated, especially in schools and nurseries, however measles is completely preventable with vaccination.
"Our recently launched childhood vaccinations campaign is reminding parents of the importance of getting their children vaccinated on time. Parents can check their child's Red Book to see if they are fully up to date with their MMR jabs and all their routine vaccines. If any have been missed or if you're unsure get in touch with your GP practice and respond promptly if the NHS gets in touch for your child to catch up."
The latest figures show a worrying rise in measles cases in England, with 83 new cases confirmed in the last week alone, reports Nottinghamshire Live. This means that since October 1, 2023, there have been a total of 733 confirmed cases. While the West Midlands was initially the hotspot for the outbreak, other areas like the North West are now seeing an increase in cases too. In fact, in the four weeks since February 5, 2024, there have been 192 confirmed cases of measles.
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The West Midlands still has the highest number of cases with 66, but the numbers there have now stabilised. Other areas are also affected, with 41 cases in the North West, 39 in London, 25 in the East Midlands and 13 in Yorkshire and the Humber. Of the 733 confirmed cases since October 1, 2023, nearly two-thirds were children under the age of 10.
These figures cover the period from October 1, 2023, to March 4, 2024, and are still provisional. The UKHSA warns that the number of cases for the most recent months could go up as more suspected cases are tested.