Two child deaths from measles this year
England has seen two child measles deaths this year, public health officials have confirmed, in what is the first time the country has recorded multiple child fatalities from the disease in a single year since 2018. The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) said one death was attributed to “acute measles” and the other to the “late effects of measles”. A senior public health source said it was the first such double fatality in England and Wales in eight years.
Dr Vanessa Saliba, a consultant epidemiologist at UKHSA, offered condolences to the families. “Our thoughts and condolences are with the families who have so tragically lost their children,” she said. “Measles continues to circulate in many parts of the country and, as we have seen, it can be very serious and even fatal.”
Case numbers continue to climb
The deaths come as the UKHSA reported 736 laboratory‑confirmed measles cases in England between 1 January and 8 June 2026 – already approaching the 959 cases recorded for the whole of 2025. In the most recent fortnight, 106 additional cases were confirmed. The majority involved unvaccinated children aged 10 and under.
Measles continues to circulate widely, with the highest recent activity in London, the East of England and the West Midlands. London alone accounted for 56% of the 630 cases reported between 1 January and 25 May, according to UKHSA data. An outbreak in north‑east London – particularly the borough of Enfield – was especially pronounced: 34% of the 96 cases recorded nationally between 1 January and 9 February occurred in Enfield. In that outbreak, one in five children who contracted measles were hospitalised, and none had been fully immunised.
Vaccination rates at a decade low
The surge in cases is directly linked to falling uptake of the measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine. Latest figures show that in 2024‑25, only 91.8% of five‑year‑olds in England had received the first dose of MMR – unchanged from the previous year and the lowest level since 2010‑11. Coverage for the second dose (MMR2) stood at 83.9%, also declining. Both figures fall well short of the World Health Organization’s recommended 95% threshold for herd immunity.
Regional disparities are stark. In 2023‑24, MMR vaccination rates for five‑year‑olds were as low as 61% in Hackney, 64% in Islington and 65% in Kensington and Chelsea. London as a whole has the poorest immunisation record, with some birth cohorts showing only 74.1% coverage for both doses by age five. By contrast, the North East of England tends to have higher uptake. The situation in parts of the capital is now on a par with vaccination rates in Afghanistan and Malawi, according to public health comparisons.
Why vaccination rates have fallen
The decline has deep roots. The discredited 1998 study by Andrew Wakefield, which falsely linked the MMR vaccine to autism, caused a dramatic drop in public confidence. Vaccination coverage fell from 95% in 1995 to around 80% by 2003. Although rates recovered in subsequent years, they have slipped again in the past decade.
Inequities also play a major role. Measles disproportionately affects under‑vaccinated communities, including some ethnic groups, deprived communities, traveller communities and recent migrants. In a Birmingham outbreak between October 2023 and April 2024, 78% of cases occurred in the city’s most deprived areas.
In February, MPs and health experts warned that children were being put at risk because the NHS was “clearly failing” to ensure they received the MMR vaccine. Calls have intensified for major reform of how the jabs are delivered, with critics arguing that the current system remains too reliant on parents navigating fragmented GP appointments.
The consequences: serious illness and death
Measles is a highly infectious viral illness that can cause severe complications even in otherwise healthy children. Pneumonia is the most common cause of death in young children with measles. Others include encephalitis (swelling of the brain), ear infections, diarrhoea and blindness. A rare but fatal long‑term complication is subacute sclerosing panencephalitis (SSPE), a progressive disease of the central nervous system that can develop years after the initial infection. Between one and three in every 1,000 children infected with measles die from respiratory and neurological complications.
The virus can also suppress the immune system for up to three years after recovery, making survivors more vulnerable to other infections. During pregnancy, measles increases the risk of premature birth, low birth weight, miscarriage or stillbirth.
The UK lost its WHO measles elimination status in January 2026 for the second time, after sustained transmission of the virus. The status had been achieved in 2017, lost in 2018, regained in 2021, and then lost again. The WHO recommends achieving and maintaining 95% coverage for two doses of the MMR vaccine in five‑year‑olds to prevent outbreaks.
Health Secretary James Murray said: “These deaths are a heartbreaking reminder that measles is not a harmless childhood illness. Measles can lead to serious complications that can be fatal, and the MMR vaccine, which has saved countless lives, remains the best protection we have against this highly infectious disease. I urge all parents and carers to check that their children are up to date with their vaccinations as it is never too late to catch up, even if you miss a dose.”
Dr Saliba echoed the call: “Anyone who has missed out on their measles vaccines can catch up through their GP practice, whatever their age. Getting vaccinated also helps protect babies who are too young to be vaccinated, and people unable to have the vaccine due to a health condition. Please don’t delay.”
Catch‑up campaigns and global resurgence
The NHS has been running MMR catch‑up campaigns targeting children and young adults aged five to 25 in areas with low vaccination rates, including London, the West Midlands and Greater Manchester. Early data shows a four‑fold increase in jabs delivered to that age group nationally in the first months of 2024 compared with the same period in 2023. Yet coverage remains insufficient to prevent further spread.
The UK’s situation mirrors a broader global resurgence. Several European countries – including Spain, Austria, Armenia, Azerbaijan and Uzbekistan – have also lost their measles elimination status. The United States recorded 2,255 confirmed cases in 2025, its highest total in three decades. In 2024, large measles outbreaks occurred in 60 countries worldwide.
