Overview

• A child at Alder Hey Children’s Hospital in Liverpool became the second British paediatric fatality from acute measles this decade.
• Alder Hey has treated 17 measles patients since June, with hospitalisations of seriously ill children fueling outbreak concerns.
• Mersey Care NHS Trust issued an open letter calling on Merseyside parents to ensure their children receive overdue MMR vaccinations.
• Liverpool’s low MMR uptake leaves roughly 288 in every 1,000 residents vulnerable, prompting Professor Matt Ashton to warn of wildfire-like spread.
• Two-dose national MMR coverage has stalled at around 85%, with some regions dipping below 65%, and experts stress 95% uptake is needed to halt transmission.