England's West Midlands Declared a National Measles Incident

When the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued a Level 1 - Practice Usual Precautions, Travel Health Notice, regarding measles outbreaks in 47 countries during November 2023, it did not include the United Kingdom.

Unfortunately, the U.K. Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has declared a national measles incident.

The UKHSA's Chief Executive has confirmed a recent increase in measles cases in parts of England's West Midlands region.

As of January 18, 2024, 216 confirmed measles cases and 103 probable cases have been reported in the West Midlands since October 2023.

Around 80% of cases have been seen in Birmingham, with about 10% in Coventry.

This area is located northwest of London.

There were 1,603 suspected cases of measles in England and Wales in 2023, according to the UKHSA.

Professor Dame Jenny Harries, Chief Executive of UKHSA, said in a press release, "Colleagues across the West Midlands have worked tirelessly to try to control the (measles) outbreak, but with vaccine uptake in some communities so low, there is now a very real risk of seeing the virus spread in other towns and cities."

"The MMR vaccine is the best way for parents to protect their children from measles."

"Immediate action is needed to boost MMR uptake across communities where vaccine uptake is low. We need a long-term concerted effort to protect individuals and to prevent large measles outbreaks."

In December 2023, NHS England announced a new Vaccination Strategy, which includes tactics to combat measles outbreaks.

In the U.S., several cities/states have confirmed measles cases related to unvaccinated people in early 2024. Most measles cases in the U.S. are related to international travelers.

Measles spreads very quickly among those who are unvaccinated, especially in nurseries and schools. The MMR vaccine is a safe and effective way of protecting against measles, mumps, and rubella.

MMR vaccines are generally available in clinics and pharmacies in the U.S.