England's Measles Outbreak Nears 10 Year Peak

Measles outbreaks are an ongoing health risk worldwide, including in the United Kingdom (U.K.).

The U.K.'s health agency recently confirmed a significant increase in measles cases across England, primarily in the West Midlands, driven by cases in Birmingham.

The U.K. Health Security Agency (UKHSA) reported data from October 2023: 868 laboratory-confirmed measles cases had been reported in England as of March 28, 2024.

There were 182 newly confirmed measles cases with a date of onset in the past four weeks (since February 26).

The highest number of cases continue to be reported from the West Midlands (34%), followed by London (33%), North West (10%), East Midlands (8%), and East of England (6%).

Dr. Vanessa Saliba, UKHSA Consultant Epidemiologist, commented in a UKHSA press statement, "We are continuing to see measles cases in the West Midlands, with numbers in London increasing in recent weeks and smaller clusters in other regions."

"This serves as a reminder of the importance of MMR vaccination."

"It only takes one case to get into a community with low vaccination rates for measles to spread rapidly, especially in schools and nurseries. We know that hundreds of thousands of children around the country, particularly in some inner-city areas, are still not fully vaccinated and are at risk of serious illness or life-long complications."

"Still, measles is completely preventable with vaccination."

On March 22, 2024, the U.S. CDC updated its global measles travel advisory, listing 49 countries. Measles spreads rapidly and may become a risk to travelers in places not included on the list above.

However, the U.K. was not included on this CDC list.

As of April 1, 2024, the CDC recommends all travelers are fully vaccinated against measles when traveling to any international destination.