Measles outbreak confirmed in Leeds

Public Health England has announced 28 confirmed cases of measles in Leeds, with outbreaks also in four other areas of the country.

There are 18 confirmed cases in Liverpool, seven in Surrey and Sussex, four in Manchester and 13 in Birmingham. All of the cases have been reported in children and adults who have not received 2 doses of the MMR vaccine.

In Leeds, twelve of the cases were confirmed in just the last two weeks.

Measles is a highly infectious viral illness that can be very unpleasant and can sometimes lead to serious complications. Children and young people who have not received 2 doses of MMR vaccine are at risk.

The UK recently achieved WHO measles elimination status and so the overall risk of measles to the UK population is low. However, unvaccinated people travelling to Romania and Italy, where there are currently large outbreaks of measles, are at particularly high risk.

PHE says anyone planning to travel to Europe over the Christmas period should seek advice and that anyone who is not sure if they are fully vaccinated should check with their GP practice.