Urgent warning over Victorian disease outbreak as cases surge in England and Wales
DOCTORS have issued an urgent warning over a Victorian disease outbreak as cases surge in England and Wales.
A spike in this dangerous virus has hit the country and health professionals fear children are at most risk.
Measles cases have soared across the UK in response to parents refusing to give their children the MMR vaccine, doctors warned.
Health protection consultant Dr Naveed Syed raised the alarm after witnessing a rise in cases in the West Midlands.
He claimed the virus is likely to spread rapidly among patients who haven’t been jabbed at least once.
Measles cases in England have reached a three-year high, with 149 confirmed cases recorded between January and Septmber 2023, according to data from the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA).
This compares to the 54 cases in in 2022.
The latest NHS figures show the MMR vaccine uptake is the lowest since 2010-11, with only 84.5 per cent of children having received both doses by age five.
This is well below the World Health Organisation’s (WHO) recommended immunity rate of 95 per cent.
Many parents, especially in London, did not take their children for the two shots of MMR vaccine at the ages of one and nearly four, because of this.
Dr Naveed Syed said: “We are seeing cases of measles rising every day in the West Midlands.
“The virus is very infectious and can spread rapidly among communities, such as schools, if people have not had at least one dose of the MMR vaccine.”
Measles is highly contagious and spreads through the air when an infected person coughs or sneezes.
If one person has it, up to nine out of 10 people around him or her will also become infected if they are not protected.
The disease can lead to serious health complications, particularly in immunosuppressed people and young infants.
The main symptoms are a fever and a rash but it can cause serious complications, including meningitis and pneumonia. For some, it is fatal.
Other symptoms include; sore, red, watery eyes, a cough and aching and feeling generally unwell.
The doctor added: “People may not realise how severe measles can be. While most people will recover within a couple of weeks, the virus can cause serious illness.
“Sometimes this can leave permanent disability and it can even cause death.”
Make sure your child is protected
All children are offered the first dose of the super-effective MMR vaccine at age one, and then the second at age three – but people can catch up on missed jabs at any age.
If you know you or your child isn’t up to date with their jabs, call your GP for an appointment.
“It’s never too late to get vaccinated,” Prof Helen Bedford, an expert in child public health at University College London, told The Sun.
“Make sure you check your child’s red vaccination book, but if you can’t find it, or they don’t have a record, call your GP up to check.”