INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
Further outbreaks of measles could spread across Britain, the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has warned, after declaring a national
incident amid a surge in cases and low vaccine uptake.Recent figures from the agency revealed a sharp rise in the number of measles cases,
had the largest recent outbreak of the infection outside London.Data released by the agency earlier this week showed that, since last
October, there were 216 lab-confirmed cases in the West Midlands, with 103 cases likely
About 80% of the cases were in Birmingham and 10% were in Coventry, according to the agency, citing low vaccination rates
Most of the cases were among children aged under 10.The average number of children starting school having had both MMR doses has dropped to
85%, said Harries, with figures in some areas of the West Midlands down to 81% and just above 70% in the NHS Surrey Heartlands region
It can lead to severe illness, with an estimated 20-40% of children hospitalised, according to the UKHSA
The disease was considered eliminated in the UK in 2016 and 2017, meaning transmission had stopped, but resurfaced in 2018.The MMR jab is
given to children in two doses: the first when they are one, and a second when they are aged three years and four months
The World Health Organization recommends that at least 95% of children be inoculated for diseases that can be stopped by vaccines.According
to the UKHSA, between January and November 2023, there were 209 lab-confirmed cases of measles in England, nearly half of which were in
The agency said cases were on the rise after outbreaks in the West Midlands, Yorkshire and the Humber.The call for vaccination comes amid
concern that the virus is spreading to London, where up to 20% of children are entering school unvaccinated, according to Harries
out a risk assessment and warned the capital of the risk of a major measles outbreak that could result in tens of thousands of cases, dozens
percentage of children who have received both doses, according to data from NHS for the year 2022-23, with Hackney in east London at 56.3%,
followed by Camden in north London at 63.6%.In areas such as Camden , mobile vaccination clinics are being offered as more than a quarter of
communities includes the use of porcine gelatine in an MMR vaccine
Since MMR vaccines are available that do not contain porcine gelatine, Harries said information needs to be made more available and to be
