Anti-vaccine campaigners have been blamed for a surge in cases of mumps in the UK in the last year.
The government is now promising a new vaccine strategy to improve uptake and help tackle shortfalls in previous years, it was announced.
The number of confirmed cases increased by nearly five times, passing 5,000 last year, Public Health England reported.
The outbreak is continuing this year, according to the latest figures, as some 546 people were confirmed as contracting the virus in January. This compared with 191 in January last year.
The agency said the disease mainly affected students in universities and colleges, often in groups of adults with low vaccination rates as a result of the false MMR scares at the beginning of the century.
Health secretary Matt Hancock said: "The rise in mumps cases is alarming and yet another example of the long-term damage caused by anti-vax information.
"Science proves that vaccines are the best form of defence against a host of potentially deadly diseases and are safer and more effective than ever before. Those who claim otherwise are risking people’s lives.
"Our vaccine strategy will soon be published outlining how we will increase uptake, limit the spread of vaccine misinformation and ensure every child receives two doses of their MMR vaccination."
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