Health chiefs warn of new measles outbreak

A potential surge in measles cases looms on the horizon, with data from the UK Health Security Agency indicating a notable uptick across the nation a more than twofold increase in suspected measles cases in England and Wales in 2023 compared the year before UK Health Security Agency found 1,603 "likely" cases of measles in England and Wales in 2023, up from 735 in 2022, and just 360 the year before.

The news comes after health officials found low vaccination rates for the MMR (Measles, Mumps, and Rubella) vaccine has heightened the risk of the potentially deadly infection. Recent trends in suspected infection rates highlight West Midlands and London as hotspots in the last four weeks of December 2023.

Out of the 237 cases for England and Wales, 57 suspected cases were recorded in the West Midlands, while London accounted for 44 cases over the same period. Measles is a highly infectious viral illness, which can have a major impact on a person's immune system, which often leaves children and vulnerable citizens more susceptible to catching other infections.