LONDON (AP) – British health officials on Monday warned millions of parents about measles, mumps and rubella, as the number of measles cases soars and vaccination rates are at their lowest in a decade. Children who were unable to receive vaccinations were urged to make an appointment.
The National Health Service has launched a public information campaign after figures showed there have been 216 confirmed and 103 suspected cases of measles in parts of England since October. . Most cases were in children under 10 years of age.
The combined measles, mumps and rubella vaccine (MMR) is given to all children in the UK in two doses, first at 12 months of age and then again at three years of age. Health and Safety Executive Jenny Harries said vaccination rates had fallen to around 85% nationally and were even lower in some areas of London.
This is “too low to maintain safe population coverage. We want it to be around 95%,” as recommended by the World Health Organization, she said.
Polio is back: London restarts vaccination campaign against previously eradicated disease https://t.co/oPho5KSshq
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Public health officials say more than 3.4 million children under 16 are unprotected and at risk of contracting the disease.
The UK was declared measles-free in 2017, meaning the disease is no longer endemic to the country.
But cases have increased since then, and officials said outbreaks could occur anywhere vaccination rates are below the 95% needed to achieve herd immunity. .
The WHO and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said in November that measles deaths surged by more than 40% globally last year, and that the number of infections had increased as vaccination levels dropped dramatically during the pandemic. .
Measles is the most contagious disease known and is spread through the air when an infected person coughs or sneezes. Most common in children under 5 years of age. Symptoms include fever, cough, runny nose, and a distinctive rash.
Infection can cause permanent physical damage, including hearing loss. Most deaths are due to complications such as encephalitis, severe dehydration, severe breathing problems, and pneumonia.
