Parents in England are being urged to vaccinate their children against measles as the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) declares the rapid rise in cases in the West Midlands a ‘national incident’.
Measles can spread easily among those who are unvaccinated, especially in nurseries and schools, the UKHSA warned. One infected child can pass it on to nine out of ten children who have not been protected by the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccination.
In worst-case scenarios, measles develops into meningitis and sepsis and causes a risk to life. And one in five children with measles, will need to be admitted to hospital for treatment.
Official figures show there have been 216 confirmed and 103 probable measles cases in the West Midlands since last October, with around 80 per cent of cases identified in Birmingham, the majority in children aged under 10.
