Measles in all English regions, UKHSA says, as it urges parents to have children vaccinated

Millions of parents have been given a new warning to ensure their children are vaccinated against measles, as new figures show cases have emerged in every region of England.

Britain’s Health Security Agency was forced to declare a national incident last month after a major outbreak in the West Midlands in which hundreds of children developed the potentially fatal disease.

On Thursday, an epidemiological report published by the agency revealed that clusters of cases had been recorded hundreds of kilometers away from the original hotspot in every part of the country.

Cases have been found in London, the North West, the North East, Yorkshire and the Humber, the East Midlands, the East of England, the South East and the South West, UKHSA said.

More and more people have come forward for a jab in recent weeks, but hundreds of thousands of children have still not been vaccinated, health bosses say.

Dr. Vanessa Saliba, a consultant epidemiologist at the UKHSA, said: “As expected, due to worryingly low uptake of MMR vaccines in some areas of the country, we are now starting to see clusters of cases in other regions.

“While parents are coming forward to take up the offer of the MMR vaccine for their children, there are still hundreds of thousands of children who remain unprotected and therefore remain at risk of serious complications or lifelong disability, but measles is completely preventable with vaccination.

“I strongly urge parents to take up the offer of the MMR vaccine now to ensure their child is protected.”

According to UKHSA data, a further 56 cases have been added in the past week, bringing the total number since October last year to 521.

They include 358 in the West Midlands, 71 in London, 37 in Yorkshire and the Humber, 20 in the East Midlands, 18 in the North West, eight in the South West, four in the South East, four in the East. of England, and one in the North East.

Measles can lead to serious complications, lifelong disability and death. It can affect the lungs and brain and cause pneumonia, meningitis, blindness and seizures.

Meanwhile, the UKHSA also announced on Thursday that it had launched an investigation into why tuberculosis cases had increased in England.

Preliminary data shows that tuberculosis cases in England rose by 11% in 2023 compared to 2022. There were 4,850 cases last year, higher than pre-pandemic levels, the UKHSA said.

Tuberculosis is an infection that usually affects the lungs. It can be treated with antibiotics, but can lead to serious problems if left untreated.

Dr. Esther Robinson, head of the tuberculosis unit at the UKHSA, said collective action was needed to eradicate the avoidable infection.

“Not every persistent cough, along with fever, is caused by flu or Covid-19,” she added. “A cough that usually contains mucus and lasts for more than three weeks can be caused by a range of other problems, including tuberculosis.”

Symptoms of tuberculosis include a cough that lasts more than three weeks, high fever, drenching night sweats, loss of appetite and weight loss. “Please talk to your doctor if you think you are at risk,” Robinson said.