Urgent warning to all parents as killer Victorian disease makes comeback with cases surging
PARENTS have been urged to get their kids’ jabs up to date because measles is on the rise in Britain.
The UK Health Security Agency said January to April had almost as many cases of the Victorian disease as the entire of 2022.
There were 49 cases between January 1 and April 20, 2023, compared to 54 through the whole of last year.
Measles is one of our most infectious viruses and can cause pneumonia or even death.
It spreads by coughs, sneezes and physical contact with an infected person.
Symptoms include a classic blotchy reddish brown rash, as well as a fever and sore, red eyes.
The bug was all but wiped out in the UK by the super-effective MMR vaccine, which is offered to all young children.
But uptake has fallen in recent years and only 85 per cent of five-year-olds are fully vaccinated – below the 95 per cent needed for herd immunity.
NHS jabs director Steve Russell said: “It is clear that when vaccine uptake falls, infections rise – so I strongly urge parents to review the status of their child’s vaccinations.
“The NHS’s vaccination programmes have proven time and time again they are the best tool in our arsenal against the spread of highly infectious diseases.”