Health chiefs have called for more young people to be immunised against measles after 334 laboratory-confirmed cases were reported in England and Wales in just four months.
The Health Protection Agency received confirmed the reports of the potentially fatal disease between January and April 2011, mainly affecting children or adults under 25 years of age. The vast majority were unvaccinated.
The four month total compares with a provisional total of 374 cases for the whole of 2010.
Dr Mary Ramsay, head of the immunisation department at the Health Protection Agency, said: “We again are reminding parents and young adults of the importance of immunisation.
“Although MMR coverage has improved over the last few years, we cannot stress enough that measles is serious and in some cases it can be fatal.
“Measles is a highly infectious and potentially dangerous illness which spreads very easily. Whether you stay here in the UK or travel abroad it is crucial that individuals who may be at risk are fully immunised.”
Measles cases have been associated with small clusters in universities, schools or families or associated with travel abroad.
Other European countries have also seen increases in measles cases in recent months.
Between January and April 2011 there were 104 cases reported in London; 102 in the South East; 46 in Yorkshire and Humber, 28 in the South West of England; 22 in the North West and 21 in the West Midlands. There were six confirmed cases in the East Midlands and five in the East of England.
None was reported in the North East or Wales.
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