Overview

• UK Health Security Agency data show 674 laboratory-confirmed measles cases in England since January 1, including 145 new infections reported since July 3.
• London accounts for 48 percent of cases and the North West 16 percent, with the majority of patients children under ten who lack two vaccine doses.
• MMR coverage for 2023/24 fell to 91.9 percent for one dose and 83.9 percent for two doses, well below the 95 percent threshold needed for herd immunity.
• Health authorities warn that holiday travel could drive further spread and are deploying catch-up clinics, vaccination buses and community outreach to bolster uptake.
• A child’s death in Liverpool this month highlights the serious complications—such as meningitis and brain swelling—that measles can cause.