London, June 6 The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) on Friday issued a warning about the continued spread of measles in England, highlighting the potential for a surge in cases during the upcoming summer holiday season.
According to the latest data released by UKHSA, there have been 420 laboratory-confirmed measles cases in England since January 1, 2025. Of these, 109 cases were confirmed in April, and 86 cases were reported in May. London has seen the highest number of cases overall this year (163/420, 39 per cent) and in the last four weeks (35/75, 47 per cent).
The majority of these cases (276/420, 66 per cent) were in children aged 10 years and under.
UKHSA expressed concerns that increased travel during the summer holidays could lead to further spread of the disease, especially as measles remains endemic in many countries worldwide.
This year's outbreaks have been seen in several other European countries, including France, Italy, Spain and Germany. The World Health Organization (WHO) recently reported that Romania, Pakistan, India, Thailand, Indonesia and Nigeria currently have among the largest numbers of measles cases worldwide.
UKHSA urged parents to ensure their children are up to date with their MMR (measles, mumps and rubella) vaccinations, Xinhua news agency reported.
"It's essential that everyone, particularly parents of young children, check all family members are up to date with 2 MMR doses especially if you are traveling this summer for holidays or visiting family," said Vanessa Saliba, a consultant epidemiologist at UKHSA.
According to the World Health Organisation, measles is a highly contagious viral disease transmitted by respiratory droplets and direct contact. Measles spreads easily when an infected person breathes, coughs or sneezes. It can cause severe disease, complications, and even death.
Measles can affect anyone, but it is most common in children.
Measles infects the respiratory tract and then spreads throughout the body. Symptoms include a high fever, cough, runny nose and a rash all over the body.
Any non-immune person (not vaccinated or vaccinated but did not develop immunity) can become infected. Unvaccinated young children and pregnant women are at the highest risk of severe measles complications.
Being vaccinated is the best way to prevent getting sick with measles or spreading it to other people. The vaccine is safe and helps your body fight off the virus.
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