HUNDREDS of children in the UK could die of a brain-swelling measles-complication if the current outbreak is not taken more seriously, an expert has warned.
Professor Tom Solomon, chair of Neurology at the University of Liverpool, has said that unless more children are vaccinated against measles, up to 1,500 could die from encephalitis.
How measles can affect the body: from rash to brain swelling disease
He said: “It is a tragedy that in 2024, we have measles in the UK, and inevitably, there will be children who develop measles encephalitis and are at risk of death or brain damage.
“This disease is completely preventable by vaccination, and we must do everything we can to get people vaccinated.”
Some 1,603 measles cases were reported in England and Wales in 2023, compared with 735 cases in 2022 and 360 in 2021.
Meanwhile, NHS figures show more than 3.4million children under the age of 16 are unprotected against measles, meaning they are at high risk of catching the bug and developing serious complications.
“This [low vaccine uptake] could result in 10,000 cases of encephalitis, potentially causing 1,500 early deaths,” the Professor told the Sun.
Encephalitis is a rare complication of measles that happens when the virus “enters the brain”, Prof Tom explained.
“The body tries to fight this infection, and there is inflammation and swelling; this is called encephalitis,” he added.
Typical encephalitis symptoms include confusion and seizures. These usually come on when the classic measles rash emerges.
Gemma Larkman-Jones, from South London, shared how her little boy Samuel passed away aged six from a rare and slow-progressing form of encephalitis called subacute sclerosing panencephalitis (SSPE) that strikes sufferers years after they were first infected with measles.
Up to three children out of every 1,000 who get measles will develop encephalitis – and up to 15 per cent of those will die.
For those who survive, up to a quarter (25 per cent) will be left with permanent brain damage.
And one in 25,000 children with measles will develop SSPE, which almost always leads to death.
Encephalitis symptoms to know
Encephalitis can occur in children either during or after a measles infection
It usually comes on during the rash phase of measles or several years later in the form of subacute sclerosing panencephalitis (SSPE).
Symptoms include:
Confusion or disorientation
Seizures or fits
Changes in personality and behaviour
Difficulty speaking
Weakness or loss of movement in some parts of the body
Seeing and hearing things that are not there
Loss of feeling in certain parts of the body
Uncontrollable eye movements, such as side-to-side eye movement
Eyesight problems
Loss of consciousness
It’s important to act fast if your symptoms become more serious.
You should dial 999 immediately to request an ambulance if you or a loved one has symptoms (even if they don’t also have measles).
For more information on Encephalitis, go to the Encephalitis International website.
Source: NHS
While measles usually triggers cold-like symptoms, other complications include blindness, pneumonia and meningitis.
The bug has no specific treatment, but it can be prevented with the measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) jab.
Unvaccinated children who come into contact with measles are currently being advised to stay at home for 21 days.
This is because measles is very contagious, with a patient typically passing the viral infection on to 20 others.
Many people have forgotten how serious measles can be”
Professor Helen Bedford
It can spread to others through coughing and sneezing or touching contaminated surfaces.
To keep measles at bay, 95 per cent of children must be vaccinated.
But recent NHS data shows only 84.5 per cent of children in England had received the second MMR dose by their fifth birthday.
Coverage in London is particularly low, at just 73 per cent, with Hackney in east London at 56.3 per cent, followed by Camden in north London at 63.6 per cent.
Urgent, “concerted action” is needed to tackle the virus to stop its spread, according to health specialists and the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA).
Earlier this month, Birmingham Children’s Hospital reported being inundated with the most measles cases it’s seen in decades.
Professor Helen Bedford, an expert in child public health at University College London, previously told The Sun, people “had forgotten how serious this disease [measles] can be because they’ve never seen them”.
In 2017, the UK was declared measles-free after vaccination rates hit the 95 per cent threshold.
But, the country lost that status in 2018 after a drop in vaccination rates led to a resurgence of the virus across Europe.
Tens of thousands of children missed out on the MMR vaccine in the 1990s because of the now-debunked autism fears raised by discredited medic Andrew Wakefield.
MMR vaccinations and when to have them
Kids are offered their first dose aged one and their second at three years at four months, just before their start school.
However, if they, or any one else, has missed any jabs, they can catch up at any time through their GP surgery.
If you don’t know if you or your child isn’t up to date with their jabs, call your GP for an appointment.
More than one in 10 children in England are starting school at risk of catching measles
There has been a steep increase in measles cases in the UK
The main symptoms of measles
MEASLES is highly contagious and can cause serious problems in some people.
The infection usually starts with cold-like symptoms, followed by a rash a few days later. Some people may also get small spots in their mouth.
The first signs include:
A high temperature
A runny or blocked nose
Sneezing
A cough
Red, sore, watery eyes
Small white spots may then appear inside the cheeks and on the back of the lips a few days later.
A rash tends to come next. This usually starts on the face and behind the ears before spreading to the rest of the body.
The spots are sometimes raised and join together to form blotchy patches. They are not normally itchy.
The rash looks brown or red or white skin. It may be harder to see on darker skin.
Source: NHS