22 April 2024 , 11:14
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A mum has issued a warning after her baby was left with "god awful" measles symptoms as cases soar across the country.
Georgia House believes her daughter Margot could have contracted the disease whilst she was hospitalised for an allergic reaction. She said her five-month-old was struggling to breathe and had become "red and blotchy". It comes as England has been hit with 86 confirmed cases of measles in the past week - which brings the total recorded this year to nearly 900.
The figure is a stark increase from the 368 cases reported in 2023. Concerned officials earlier said that the outbreak first appeared in the West Midlands last year but has rapidly spread across every region, with London named as the latest hotspot. Now, Georgia is warning others about the "life-threatening" condition following her daughter's stay at London's Chelsea and Westminster Hospital.
Margot became infected earlier this month (SKY NEWS)She told Sky News: "It's really scary because I was holding my little baby, she was struggling to breathe and she looked god-awful. She had rashes on her tummy, behind her neck and going up her head." Due to the little one being younger than 12 months old, she was unable to be administered the measles, mumps and rubella jab.
The mum said her daughter is set to make a full recovery, but said she still wants to warn others. She added: "You can stop this becoming an epidemic and a huge outbreak. Allow people who do want to get vaccinated, but don't have the opportunity, to continue to live their lives without fear of getting an infection that could be life-threatening."
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Margot is on the path to recovery (SKY NEWS)Dr Vanessa Saliba, a consultant epidemiologist at the UKHSA, commented: "Numbers of measles cases are rising across the country, with a particular increase seen in London in recent weeks. Parents should check their child's Red Book now to ensure that children are up to date with the MMR and are urging anyone who may be behind on their vaccinations to get their jabs." Brits have been to book themselves in for the MMR vaccine in a bid to protect them from the alarming disease. The vaccine is available for free on the NHS.
Symptoms to look out for include:
High temperature
Runny or blocked nose
Sneezing
Cough
Red, sore, watery eyes
Small white spots may appear inside the cheeks and on the back of the lips a few days later
A rash usually appears a few days after the cold-like symptoms