Could Christmas drive up measles cases?

Symptoms of measles include a rash and a high fever

A rise in measles cases in the West Midlands has led to concern that numbers could increase further as people socialise over the festive period.

There have been 73 confirmed and probable cases in the region since 1 October, the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) warned.

People were urged to check they and their family had up-to-date measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccinations.

UKHSA said measles was "incredibly infectious" and could cause serious illness, and in rare cases, death.

It added that some areas of the West Midlands, particularly Birmingham and the Black Country, have some of the lowest MMR vaccine rates in the country.

The continued rise in cases in the region is currently centred on Birmingham and Coventry, but the situation prompted Herefordshire Council to urge local residents on Thursday to make sure they have two doses of the MMR vaccine.

"None of the recent cases we’ve seen had received two doses of the MMR vaccine," said Dr Mamoona Tahir, consultant in health protection at the UKHSA in the West Midlands.

The ages of those affected by the disease since October ranged from small babies to age 40, the organisation said, but the average age was nine.

That made it "particularly important" for parents to have their children vaccinated when offered, it added.

'Entirely preventable'

Babies and small children, pregnant women, and people with weakened immunity, are particularly at increased risk of complications if they catch measles.

"The misery caused by measles is entirely preventable," Dr Tahir said.

The World Health Organisation last declared measles effectively eliminated in the UK in 2021, but cases are on the rise.

In its warning, UKHSA called on people to look out for the symptoms, and stay at home if they felt unwell.

Symptoms include:

• a high fever

• sore, red watery eyes

• coughing

• aching and feeling generally unwell

• a blotchy red brown rash, which usually appears after the initial symptoms