Health bosses in Lancashire and North West urging people to be vaccinated against measles after 'clusters' in region

Local health organisations are warning people to make sure their vaccinations are up to date and be alert for measles after we are now starting to see clusters of confirmed measles cases in the region.

Data published by the UK Health Security Agency shows 24 cases of measles have been reported in the North West between 1 October 2023 and 13 February 2024. This is an increase of 14 cases on data published last week. The majority of cases are in Greater Manchester.

The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) is working with partners in local authority public health teams and the NHS to monitor the situation, provide advice and support local communities to be aware of action they can take to protect themselves, including getting vaccinated.

Lancashire's Director of Public Health Sakthi Karunanithi says it could begin to spread faster in the region: "It is of concern of us in Lancashire as well, whilst the current outbreak is in the West Midlands and London the North West is also at high risk of measles transmission predominately by low vaccination uptake.

"By 2016, 2017, we had eliminated measles from Britain, and we had done that because the vaccination levels were higher than 95%.

"Before the introduction of the vaccine this infection used to take a number of lives every year and we probably have forgotten how serious this infection is."

He added: The vaccination have been dropping over the last decade and that puts us really in a vulnerable position and susceptible for an outbreak like measles if it gets introduced into our communities."

Symptoms of measles appear 7-10 days after contact with the virus and include:

• cold-like symptoms such as runny or blocked nose, sneezing and cough

• red, sore, watery eyes

• high temperature (fever), which may reach around 40OC / 104OF

• a non-itchy, red-brown rash usually appears 3-5 days later (sometimes starts around the ears before spreading to rest of the body), spots may be raised and join to form blotchy patches – which may be harder to see on darker skin tones

• small white spots may appear inside cheeks and the back of lips (for a few days)

More information about the symptoms can be found here: Measles - NHS (www.nhs.uk)

Measles spreads very easily among those who are unvaccinated, especially in nurseries and schools. People in certain groups, including babies, pregnant women, and people with weakened immunity, are at increased risk of complications from measles.

If you or a family member develops any symptoms of measles contact your GP by phone. Please do not go to your GP, walk-in centre or any other healthcare setting without calling ahead, as measles is very infectious