GPs in part of the UK have been placed on high alert after a measles outbreak centres around a school and nursery.
Last month the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) published new data showing a rise in measles cases in England, with 49 cases between January 1 and April 20, compared to 54 cases for the whole of 2022. Most of those cases were in London, though they have cropped up in other regions and some cases are linked to travel abroad.
Measles vaccinations have fallen in recent years, with uptake of the first MMR dose in two-year-olds in England being 89%, while uptake of two doses by age five is just 85%. This is well below the 95% target set by the World Health Organisation (WHO) to eliminate the disease.
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StokeonTrent Live reports North Road Academy, in Cobridge, was at the centre of an outbreak that has seen seven confirmed cases in the city. They involve children who have never had an MMR vaccine and follows an initial case linked to foreign travel.
A number of probable cases have also been reported as GPs were placed on high alert. The UKHSA is now working with Stoke-on-Trent City Council and the NHS following the outbreak.
Measles is a viral infection most commonly found in young children who have not been immunised. However, adults can also catch measles if they have not had it before or have not been immunised against it. A rash usually appears a few days after symptoms start.
The measles virus lives in the nose and throat of infected people. Measles is caught through direct contact with an infected person or through the air when he or she coughs or sneezes. A person with measles can infect other people from the day before they become unwell until four days after the rash appears.
Measles is an unpleasant illness and easily passed from one person to another. In some people it can cause complications, such as ear infection, chest infections and even pneumonia. In very rare cases some people who get measles can develop serious complications, which can be fatal.
What are the symptoms to look out for?
- high temperature
- runny or blocked nose
- sneezing
- cough
- red, sore, watery eyes
- rash usually appears a few days after cold-like symptoms (sometimes starts around the ears before spreading to rest of the body)
- small white spots may appear inside the cheeks and on the back of lips a few days later (usually lasting a few days)
What to do if you or your child/children develop symptoms
- contact your GP by phone – please do not go to your GP, walk-in centre or any other healthcare setting without calling ahead, as measles is very infectious
- people remain infectious and should stay off nursery/school/university/work/other group activities until at least 4 days after the onset of the rash
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