Parents have been urged to check their children’s vaccinations are up to date amid an increase in measles cases this year.
The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has so far discovered 49 cases of measles, which causes a high fever, sore, red and watery eyes and a blotchy skin rash.
This is nearly equal to the 54 cases of the virus, which spreads ‘very easily’ and in severe cases can lead to hospitalization, disability and death, recorded in England for all of 2022.
Health chiefs, describing the outbreak as ‘worrying’, warned that one in six children have not had their measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine, which is given to children aged one, with a second dose after three years and four months .
But they said it’s “never too late to catch up” and urged parents to give their children the potentially life-saving injections before summer – when global travel and busy festival events can facilitate the spread of measles.
London accounts for the majority of cases, with 33, followed by the South West which recorded six cases
Health chiefs have warned parents to check whether their children have had their MMR vaccine after recording 49 measles cases so far this year (January to April). For comparison, 54 cases were registered for the whole of 2022. While the number of cases fell due to the measures taken to curb the spread of Covid, experts fear a resurgence. Figures for years prior to 2022 are those confirmed by oral fluid testing
Dr. Vanessa Saliba, epidemiologist at UKHSA, said: ‘We are calling on all parents and guardians to ensure their children are aware of their 2 MMR doses.
“It’s never too late to catch up, and you can get the MMR vaccine for free on the NHS, whatever your age.”
She cautioned that while measles is usually mild, there is always a risk of a fatal outcome.
“Measles spreads very easily and can lead to complications that require a hospital stay and in rare cases can lead to lifelong disability or death, so it is very concerning to see cases starting to increase this year,” he said. she.
Cold-like symptoms, including high temperatures, a runny or stuffy nose, sneezing, coughing, and red, sore, and watery eyes, are usually the first signs of a measles infection.
A few days later, small white spots may appear in the cheeks and on the back of the lips.
A rash, consisting of raised red blotchy patches that join together, usually appears on the face and behind the ears before spreading to the rest of the body.
Symptoms usually improve within a few weeks and can be controlled by drinking plenty of fluids and taking acetaminophen or ibuprofen to relieve fever.
However, if measles spreads to the lungs or brain, it can cause pneumonia, meningitis, blindness, and seizures.
London is currently the measles outbreak hotspot in the country with 33 cases. Children aged one to four years are most affected.
The capital’s vulnerability to the virus has been highlighted before, with up to a third of children in some boroughs going without a measles shot.
The Southwest and Northeast, the next hardest hit regions, have six and three affected regions respectively.
Two cases have been reported in each of the East Midlands, South East and East England, while one is in the North West.
No cases have been reported in the West Midlands and Yorkshire and the Humber so far this year.
Experts said the spike in England is being repeated at a global level after childhood vaccination programs were disrupted by the Covid pandemic.
This has led to some cases being imported to Britain, with a quarter of cases detected this year having been imported from other countries, according to the UKHSA.
It said the rest were the result of community transmission in England itself, including a cluster of cases linked to an outbreak at school.
Nationally, 40 percent of the cases detected so far in 2023 will be in children under the age of five.
Professor Helen Bedford, a child health expert at University College London, said the rise in cases was ‘worrying but not surprising’.
She said: ‘Unfortunately, in recent years we have seen a decline in the uptake of MMR vaccines. MMR vaccine uptake is now less than 90 percent.
“Measles is so contagious that even a small decrease in uptake can lead to outbreaks – we need to maintain 95 percent uptake of two doses of MMR vaccine to prevent such outbreaks.”
Professor Bedford said the fact that Covid is making measles seem less of a threat, an increase in vaccine hesitancy and pressure from GPs could be behind the drop in take-up.
She said: “There may be some hesitation with vaccines, although studies by UKHSA and others suggest this is not a major reason in the UK. However, such surveys often do not reflect the views of everyone, especially those with more extreme, anti-vaccine views.
The measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine is given to children aged one year, with a second dose at three years and four months
Data released earlier this year from the NHS England shows that uptake of the MMR vaccine fell to just 88.6 per cent for one dose in two-year-olds, and to 85.5 per cent for both shots in five-year-olds
‘Less health visits and pressure on general practice both probably contribute to a lower vaccination rate.;
Health chiefs are now urging parents of young children, teenagers and adults themselves to check that they are up to date on the MMR vaccination.
They can do this by checking their child’s red book or contact their GP practice. If you missed one or both doses, you can make an appointment with your doctor.
Acceptance of the MMR has fallen in recent years, with data suggesting that one in 10 of 2-year-olds has not had it, while nearly one in 6 of five-year-olds also misses it.
This is well below the World Health Organization’s 95 percent vaccination target, a level that helps prevent isolated cases from becoming an outbreak.
Data suggests that 20 million measles cases and 4,500 deaths have been prevented in the UK since the first vaccine against the virus was deployed in 1968.
Parents can check their children’s MMR vaccinations by checking their vaccination booklet in their Red Book.
Anyone who has not yet had two doses of the MMR vaccine can contact their GP to make an appointment.
Measles symptoms include a high fever, painful red watery eyes, and a blotchy red-brown rash.
Although usually mild, in some cases a hospital stay may be required.
Severe cases of measles can lead to pneumonia, meningitis, and even long-term disability or death.