• UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) warns of a potential measles outbreak in central England.
• UKHSA emphasizes the need for immediate action to boost the MMR vaccine.
• The UK Health Service includes MMR in the routine childhood immunization program.

On Friday, Britain’s public health agency issued a warning that an outbreak of measles in central England could spread to other towns and cities unless urgent action is taken to boost vaccination uptake.

The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) declared a national incident, indicating a growing public health risk. Since October 1 last year, there have been 216 confirmed cases and 103 probable cases in the West Midlands, with the majority occurring in children aged under 10.

“With vaccine uptake in some communities so low, there is now a very real risk of seeing the virus spread in other towns and cities,” UKHSA Chief Executive Jenny Harries said.

In November, a report from the World Health Organization and the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention highlighted a “staggering” annual increase in measles cases and deaths globally in 2022.

Measles:

Measles, one of the most contagious viruses globally, is preventable by two doses of vaccine. The routine immunization efforts worldwide were significantly disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic, and the bounce back has been slow. Harries emphasized the need for immediate action to boost uptake of the MMR (measles, mumps, and rubella) vaccine in areas where it was low.

“We need a long-term concerted effort to protect individuals and to prevent large measles outbreaks,” she added.

In Britain, the state-funded National Health Service includes MMR in the routine childhood immunization program. Last year, the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) reported that in some areas and groups in London, the coverage of the first MMR dose at 2 years of age was as low as 69.5 percent.

In July last year, the UKHSA issued a warning about a steady rise in measles cases and the risk of a resurgence of the virus, particularly in London. It stated that an outbreak of 40,000 to 160,000 cases could occur due to low vaccine coverage rates.

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