Measles Cases Surge in UK and US Amid Falling Vaccination Rates

A 'national call to action' is needed to increase vaccination rates, warns UK Health Security Agency, as a London mother whose son died from measles urges parents to vaccinate their children.

Measles cases are surging in the UK, particularly in London and the West Midlands, with 216 confirmed and 103 probable cases reported in the West Midlands since October 1 last year.
A London mother whose son died from a brain inflammation caused by measles is urging parents to vaccinate their children more. Her son had been on a delayed vaccination programme due to constant chest infections, which later turned out to be asthma.
Professor Dame Jenny Harries, chief executive of the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), has warned that measles is spreading among unvaccinated communities and a 'national call to action' is needed to ensure children are vaccinated against the potentially deadly disease.
Vaccination rates have been dropping across the country, with particular concerns about some regions, including parts of London and the West Midlands.
In the US, Georgia health officials confirmed the state's first case of measles since 2020, one of several outbreaks around the country, many of which are linked to international travel.