FAMILIES booking trips to Morocco for the Easter break are urged to “check with their GP” first, following an outbreak of a highly contagious disease in the country.
There were thousands of measles cases and several deaths in just one week in the popular winter sun hotspot, figures from last month suggest.
Measles is a highly contagious disease that usually starts with cold-like symptoms before developing into a blotchy rash.
It can cause serious complications if the virus spreads to other parts of the body, such as the lungs or brain – sometimes leading to lifelong disabilities and even death.
Babies, pregnant people and those with weakened immune systems are the most vulnerable.
According to local media quoting the Moroccan Ministry of Health, 3,365 confirmed measles cases and six deaths were reported across the country between February 10 and February 16, 2025
A large chunk of these infections – 21.1 per cent in fact – were reported in Fez, with 713 cases that month.
Fez is one of Morocco’s ancient cities, famous for its UNESCO World Heritage site – and cheap flights from the UK.
Marrakesh reported 225 cases, accounting for 6.7 per cent of the country’s total.
Other areas affected by the outbreak include Tangier, Casablanca, the Atlas Mountains, Oujda, Agadir, and Merzouga.
It comes as the US reported a major outbreak of measles, marking its first death from the disease since 2015.
“Travelling abroad may increase your risk of measles,” it says on the NHS’ Fit for Travel website, highlighting the outbreak in Morocco.
It said: “Your risk of exposure may be higher if you will be visiting friends and relatives and/or mixing with the local population during your trip.
“Check with your GP before travelling to ensure you have received two doses of MMR vaccination.”
The MMR vaccine protects against measles, mumps and rubella and it is recommended that all babies and children get two doses for maximum protection.
Approximately 15 per cent of five-year-olds in the UK haven’t yet received both doses of the vaccine, according to the most recent data, with significantly lower coverage in some communities.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) says at least 95 per cent of the population needs to be vaccinated in order to prevent measles outbreaks.
Children are offered their first dose at age one and their second at three years and four months, just before they start school.
However, if they, or anyone else, miss any jabs, they can catch up at any time at their GP surgery.
Unvaccinated children who come into contact with the disease are currently being advised to stay at home for 21 days.
People should also avoid shopping and public transport including planes if they fall ill, experts have said.
This is because measles is highly contagious, with a patient typically passing the infection on to 20 others.
Expert answers MMR questions
TO help deal with parental concerns, Professor Helen Bedford, a specialist in child public health at University College London, tells you all you need to know about the MMR vaccine.
When is the vaccine given?
The MMR vaccine is part of the NHS Routine Childhood Immunisation Programme.
It’s typically given via a single shot into the muscle of the thigh or the upper arm.
The first dose is offered to children at the age of one (babies younger than this may have some protection from antibodies passed on from their mother, which start to wear off at about 12 months.)
The second dose is then offered to children aged three years and four months before they start school.
To check to see if you or your child have had the recommended two doses of MMR, you can look at their/your Personal Child Health Record, also known as the red book.
If you can’t find the red book, call your GP and ask them for your vaccine records.
You are never too old to catch up with your MMR vaccine.
If you see from your vaccination records that you did not receive two doses as a child, you can book a vaccination appointment.
Is the vaccine safe?
The MMR vaccine is safe and effective at preventing measles, mumps and rubella.
In the UK, we started using the jab in 1988, so we have decades of experience using it.
The jab is made from much-weakened live versions of the three viruses.
This triggers the immune system to produce antibodies that are protective in the face of future exposure.
It takes up to three weeks after having the vaccine to be fully protected.
Like any vaccine, the MMR jab can cause side-effects, which are usually mild and go away very quickly.
This includes rash, high temperature, loss of appetite and a general feeling of being unwell for about two or three days.
There is also a very small chance children can have a severe allergic reaction.
But compared to the complications of measles, there is no contest that vaccination is by far the safest and most effective route to take.
Why was it linked with autism?
In 1998, Andrew Wakefield and his colleagues published a now-discredited paper in medical journal The Lancet.
The paper suggested that the MMR vaccine might be associated with autism and a form of bowel disease.
It led to a sharp decline in vaccination rates.
Even at the time, the research was considered poor.
The Lancet retracted the story in 2010 after Wakefield’s article was found “dishonest” by the General Medical Council.
He was later struck off and subsequently, in 2011, the British Medical Journal declared the story fraudulent.
Does it contain ingredients from pigs?
There are two types of MMR jabs: One with gelatin (animal/pig collagen), and one without it.
For some religious groups, the inclusion of pig products is not acceptable.
Those people should ask for the vaccine without gelatin.
