Measles outbreak sees 127 new cases in January across England

Another 127 new measles cases have been confirmed this month as the current outbreak shows no signs of slowing down, latest data reveals.

Since 1 October 2023, there have been 347 laboratory confirmed measles cases reported in England with, 127 of these cases confirmed in January. Some 75 per cent of those have been in the West Midlands, with Birmingham particularly affected.

Health officials said the region remains an area of concern due to the disproportionate number of cases there. Some 13 per cent of the measles cases have been in London and 7 per cent in Yorkshire and the Humber.

The majority (67 per cent) of these cases are in children under the age of 10 and 24 per cent are in young people and adults over the age of 15.

Dr Vanessa Saliba, UK Health Security Agency Consultant Epidemiologist, said: “The ongoing measles outbreak in the West Midlands remains a concern. MMR vaccine coverage has been falling for the last decade with 1 out of 10 children starting school in England not protected and so there is a real risk that this outbreak could spread to other towns and cities.

“Measles is a nasty illness for most children and for some can be serious, but it is completely preventable. Vaccination is the best way to protect yourself and your children. If you or your child are not up to date with your two doses of MMR vaccine please contact your GP to catch-up now.”

The surge in measles cases prompted the UK to declare a national health incident earlier this month. Parents were advised to check the vaccination status of their children, with full uptake of the MMR [measles, mumps and rubella] jab down to an average of 85 per cent – its lowest level in more than a decade and “well under” the recommended coverage.

MMR vaccine coverage in some areas of the West Midlands is down to 81 per cent and just above 70 per cent in the NHS Surrey Heartlands region. Birmingham children’s hospital has treated more than 50 measles cases in the last month, according to the BMJ.

Measles can begin with cold-like symptoms followed by a rash. It can lead to severe illness, with an estimated 20-40 per cent of children hospitalised, according to the UKHSA. The disease was considered eliminated in the UK in 2016 and 2017, meaning transmission had stopped, but resurfaced in 2018.

Vaccine fatigue following the pandemic combined with a growing number of parents questioning vaccines in general following the pandemic are thought to be some of the reasons behind the fall in coverage.

The MMR jab is given to children in two doses: the first when they are one, and a second when they are aged three years and four months. The World Health Organisation recommends that at least 95 per cent of children be inoculated for diseases that can be stopped by vaccines.

There were 1,603 suspected cases of measles in England and Wales in 2023, UKHSA statistics showed earlier this year. The figure is up from 735 in 2022, and just 360 the year before.