Overview

• England has recorded 674 lab-confirmed measles cases since January 1, with 145 new infections reported since early July, mostly in children under ten.
• Merseyside has seen 10 new cases in Liverpool and 19 in Knowsley, while London accounts for nearly half of all infections with Hackney alone reporting 79 cases.
• A child with measles and pre-existing health conditions died at Alder Hey Children’s Hospital, underscoring the outbreak’s severity.
• Vaccination uptake remains far below the World Health Organization’s 95% target by children’s fifth birthdays, with rates at 60.8% in Hackney, 73.4% in Liverpool, and 74.8% in Birmingham.
• The UK Health Security Agency and NHS England are urging parents to book summer catch-up MMR appointments to prevent further spread before the new school term.