Smileband health topics

A measles outbreak has spread to five regions in England, infecting 122 confirmed cases. West Yorkshire has the most sufferers with 34 people being struck down with the life-threatening infection, followed by 32 in the West Midlands, 29 in Liverpool and Cheshire, 20 in Surrey and Sussex, and seven in Greater Manchester.

Dr Mary Ramsey, head of immunisation at Public Health England, believes the measles outbreak in England has come from Europe as people travel to regions experiencing epidemics, such as Italy, Germany,  and Romania.

She adds that in order to avoid an epidemic in the UK, parents should vaccinate their children against measles, mumps and rubella (MMR). 

To prevent a measles outbreak, it is recommended that 95 per cent of the population is immunised against the infection.

Only 91.9 per cent of children were vaccinated against measles between 2015 and 2016 compared to 94.2 per cent in 2014 to 2015 and 94.3 per cent in 2013 to 2014, according to NHS immunisation statistics. 

The World Health Organization (WHO) claims people's fear of vaccines, along with complacency, means many, particularly young children, are unprotected. 

The decision by parents not to vaccinate their children could be attributed to disgraced gastroenterologist Andrew Wakefield's theory in 1995 that the MMR vaccine is linked to bowel disease and autism. His controversial views have since been widely discredited. Epidemics in Europe  

Earlier this year, the WHO warned measles was spreading across Europe in regions where vaccination rates are low, namely France, Germany, Italy, Poland, Romania, Switzerland and Ukraine. 

Data published in November last year by the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control in the Communicable Disease Threat Report show that from January 2016 to November 2017, more than 19,000 measles cases were reported in the European Union, including 46 deaths.

The highest number of cases in 2017 were reported in Romania, where 7,759 people suffered, followed by Italy with 4,775 cases and Germany with 898 sufferers. Greece also experienced a measles outbreak, with at least 368 cases, and one death, since May 2017.

These outbreaks occurred due to insufficient vaccination levels. 

Dr Ramsay said: 'Due to ongoing measles outbreaks within Europe, we will continue to see imported measles cases in the UK in unimmunised individuals.

'This serves as an important reminder for parents to take up the offer of MMR vaccination for their children when offered at one year of age and as a pre-school booster at three years, four months of age.'