Rise in cases of measles linked to low MMR uptake
Monday, 12 Jan 2009 07:15
A rise in cases of measles has been linked to a low MMR uptake
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A dramatic increase in the number of cases of measles in England and Wales has been linked to a low uptake of the MMR vaccine during the last ten years.
The Health Protection Agency (HPA) released data today showing there were 1,217 cases from January to November 2007.
Importantly, over 100 cases diagnosed in the month of November alone were away from the main hotspot of London and instead in the north-west, West Midlands and south-east of England.
The HPA has blamed the "unprecedented" rise on the low uptake of MMR during the past decade.
The health agency warns too many children around the country are not receiving both doses of the combined measles, mumps and rubella jab.
The slump in the uptake of the MMR vaccine is blamed on unfounded fears about side-effects of the jab. As a result, in England one in four children has not had the two recommended doses.
The number of diagnosed cases of measles in November last year was the same for the whole of 1996, and even without the December figures, last year saw the largest number of measles cases for 12 years.