PARENTS have been warned to be on the lookout for telltale measles symptoms, as health bodies revealed a new UK hotspot where cases are rising.
Cases in the area are already almost half the amount recorded in the whole of last year.
Measles causes a blotchy rash that starts on the face and behind the ears before spreading to the rest of the body[/caption]
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.
A total of 2,911 measles cases were confirmed in England in 2024 – the highest number of cases recorded in a year since 2012.
An unnamed child is believed to have died from the disease as outbreaks struck the country in the first few months of 2024.
According to a report released by the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), 91 confirmed measles cases have reported in England so far this year.
Eighty-one of these were spotted in January and 10 in the first couple weeks of February.
A large chunk of these infections – 27 per cent in fact – were reported in Bristol, with 25 cases reported so far this year.
With total of of 53 cases were reported in Bristol in the whole of 2024, this means that 2025’s case tally is almost half that recorded last year.
Dr Toyin Ejidokun at UKHSA South West told the BBC: “Measles is highly infectious, and it can cause serious disease or even death in some rare cases.”
She said parents should be on the lookout for cold-like symptoms, sore red eyes, a high temperature or a red-brown blotchy rash.
“If you experience these symptoms, seek medical attention, but please ensure that you phone ahead before visiting a healthcare setting, so that arrangements can be made to prevent others from being infected,” she added.
Julie Northcott, deputy director of public health at Bristol City Council, added that measles spreads “very easily and quickly” among people who haven’t been vaccinated against the disease.
The MMR vaccine protects against measles, mumps and rubella and it’s recommended that all babies and children get it.
“One person infected by measles can infect nine out of 10 of their unvaccinated close contacts,” Ms Northcott said.
“The MMR vaccine is safe and by far the most effective way to protect yourself and those around you.”
Approximately 15 per cent of five-year-olds in Bristol haven’t yet had the jab.
Ms Northcott said it’s never too late to have the jab and urged people to speak to their GP about it.
UKHSA said that almost 60 per cent of the measles infections reported so far this year were in children aged 10 and under.
Meanwhile, 32 per cent were in young people and adults aged 15 and over.
The main symptoms of measles
MEASLES is highly contagious and can cause serious problems in some people.
The infection usually starts with cold-like symptoms, followed by a rash a few days later.
The first signs include:
- A high temperature
- A runny or blocked nose
- Sneezing
- A cough
- Red, sore, watery eyes
Small white spots may then appear inside the cheeks and on the back of the lips.
A rash tends to come next. This usually starts on the face and behind the ears before spreading to the rest of the body.
The spots are sometimes raised and join together to form blotchy patches. They are not normally itchy.
The rash looks brown or red on white skin. It may be harder to see on darker skin.
Complications are rare, but measles can lead to pneumonia, meningitis, blindness, seizures, and sometimes death.
Source: NHS
Aside from Bristol, Leeds has also been hit with a large proportion of the infections – with 24 cases reported so far this year, compared to 79 last year.
UKHSA reported that 31 per cent of the measles cases from this year have spotted in Yorkshire and Humber, 29 per cent in the South West, and 12 per cent in the East of England.
The record number of measles cases in 2024 were largely driven by an outbreak in Birmingham at the start of the year.
This was soon overtaken by a large outbreak in London, UKHSA said, and small clusters were reported in other regions.
But infections tailed off from mid-July onwards, with localised outbreaks continuing in some regions.
How to keep your child safe from measles
The World Health Organisation (WHO) says at least 95 per cent of the population needs to be vaccinated in order to prevent measles outbreaks.
But recent figures show parts of the UK lagging behind in terms of vaccination coverage.
“Over the past decade, uptake of all childhood immunisations, including MMR, has continued to wane,” an UKHSA report published in August 2024 stated.
“By March 2024, two doses of the MMR vaccine had been received by just 85 per cent of 5-year-olds, with significantly lower coverage in some communities.”
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 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.
