A deadly and contagious measles outbreak is on the horizon for the UK, a health expert has warned.
Between January and April this year, 67 cases have been recorded - which is more than the 54 seen in the whole of 2022.
Measles is a highly infectious disease that can lead to serious problems such as pneumonia, meningitis, and on rare occasions, long-term disability or death. Symptoms include a high fever, sore red watery eyes and a blotchy red-brown rash.
Vaccination rates in England have dropped and are now well short of the 95 per cent population coverage the World Health Organisation says is needed to eliminate outbreaks.
Prof Helen Bedford, an expert in child public health at University College London, told The Sun: "There is no question, we're going to see a surge of cases if things continue this way.
"So far, we've only seen limited outbreaks across the country, but we're likely to see more."
Vaccine uptake varies in England, and in Hackney, East London just 55.2 per cent of five-year-olds have had both dosses of the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) jab.
Prof Helen added: "This is shockingly bad and is begging for a big [measles] outbreak".
The UKHSA is urging parents of young children, teenagers and adults to check that they are up to date with their MMR vaccines, particularly before they travel this summer and before attending summer festivals where measles can spread more easily.
Dr Vanessa Saliba, Consultant Epidemiologist at UKHSA, said: “Measles spreads very easily and can lead to complications that require a stay in hospital and on rare occasions can cause lifelong disability or death, so it is very concerning to see cases starting to pick up this year.
“During the COVID-19 pandemic, we saw a fall in uptake for the routine childhood vaccinations, including MMR which leaves us vulnerable to outbreaks, especially as people travel abroad for summer holidays to places where measles is more common.”
The UKHSA says if anyone has missed one or both doses of the MMR vaccine, contact your GP practice to book an appointment.
Anyone with symptoms is advised to stay at home and phone their GP or NHS 111 for advice, before visiting the surgery or A&E, to prevent the illness from spreading further.
Symptoms
Measles usually starts with cold-like symptoms, followed by a rash a few days later. Some people may also get small spots in their mouths.
Cold-like symptoms
The first symptoms of measles include:
- a high temperature
- a runny or blocked nose
- sneezing
- a cough
- red, sore, watery eyes
Inoculation rates in England have dipped (
Image:
Getty Images/iStockphoto)
Spots in the mouth
Small white spots may appear inside the cheeks and on the back of the lips a few days later. These spots usually last a few days.
The measles rash
A rash usually appears a few days after the cold-like symptoms.
The rash starts on the face and behind the ears before spreading to the rest of the body.
The spots of the measles rash are sometimes raised and join together to form blotchy patches. They're not usually itchy.
The rash looks brown or red on white skin. It may be harder to see on brown and black skin.
