Leicestershire ranks fourth in measles cases

LEICESTERSHIRE has the fourth highest number of confirmed measles cases across the country, new figures have revealed.

Between January 1 and September 9 this year, Leicestershire had 135 cases of measles, findings from the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) showed.

Birmingham recorded a total of 358 over the same nine months, while Lambeth in London came in second with 172, and Wandsworth, also in London, came third with 145 confirmed cases.

As of September 9, the total number of cases in England this year is 2,465.

The vast majority – 61 per cent – or 1,513 infections, were in children aged 10 and younger.

Susanne Howes, consultant in Health Protection for UKHSA East Midlands, said: “Measles is preventable with two doses of the MMR vaccine, but many thousands of children around the country, including Leicester, are still not vaccinated and may be at risk of serious illness or life-long complications.

“No parent wants this for their child. Don’t put it off, act today so we can ensure that all children are given the best protection. With measles continuing to spread across the country, including the East Midlands, ensuring timely vaccination has never been more important.

“MMR offers protection against measles and, importantly, vaccination is also about not spreading the disease to others who may be more vulnerable.”

Guidance from the UKHSA said the key symptoms of measles include a high fever, coughing, sneezing, red and sore watery eyes, and a rash that usually appears after the initial symptoms.

The UKHSA declared the disease eradicated in the UK in 2016, but just two years later had to remove that status due to a surge in cases.

The UKHSA blames the spread of the disease on low take-up of the MMR vaccine in parts of the country.

In England, 92.5 per cent of children had received at least one dose of the MMR vaccine by the age of five in 2022- 23, down from 93.4 per cent the previous year and below the national target of 95.5 per cent. Only 84.5 per cent have received both doses.

The World Health Organisation said coverage must be 95 per cent or higher to achieve population-level immunity.

(Local Democracy Reporting Service)