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WHO Revokes UK Measles Elimination Status After Year of Continuous Transmission

Falling vaccination uptake left herd immunity short of the 95% two‑dose level WHO requires.

Overview

  • UK recorded 3,681 measles cases in 2024, and WHO judged transmission to be re‑established, ending the UK’s 2021–2023 elimination period.
  • UKHSA reports that in 2024/25 only 91.9% of five‑year‑olds received one MMR dose and 83.7% received both, the lowest rates in about a decade.
  • NHS measures now include routine use of the combined MMRV jab and moving the second dose to an 18‑month appointment, alongside catch‑up vaccination.
  • Since January 2025, England has logged 957 laboratory‑confirmed cases, mostly in unvaccinated children under 10, and a child death was reported during the resurgence.
  • WHO/Europe says five other countries — Armenia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Spain and Uzbekistan — also lost elimination status on 2024 data due to persistent immunity gaps.