Cases have surged to the highest level in over a decade.
The measles rash appears within a few days of cold-like symptoms (Image: Getty)
The UK has lost its measles elimination status after infections surged to the highest levels seen in more than a decade. Health experts said the change was not surprising and a “miserable reflection” of falling vaccine uptake in recent years.
The highly contagious virus spreads easily through the air when an infected person coughs on sneezes, or via contaminated surfaces. The illness typically begins with cold-like symptoms, followed by a rash a few days later. The NHS lists seven key symptoms.
Symptoms include a high temperature, sneezing and coughing (Image: Getty)
These include a high temperature, a runny or blocked nose, sneezing, a cough, and red, sore, watery eyes. Some people also suffer from spots in their mouth, inside the cheeks and on the back of the lips.
The measles rash 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, however they are not usually itchy.
Many sufferers will begin to feel better within a week, and can manage the illness with rest, fluids and paracetamol or ibuprofen.
However, some may suffer from more serious problems if the infection spreads to other parts of the body such as the lungs or brain. This can include pneumonia, meningitis, blindness and seizures.
Those at higher risk of severe illness include babies and people with weakened immune systems.
More than 3,600 suspected cases of measles were reported in the UK in 2024. The World Health Organisation confirmed on Monday that the UK had lost its measles elimination status.
Professor Andrew Pollard, director of the Oxford Vaccine Group at the University of Oxford, said the loss of the UK’s measles elimination status was “entirely expected”.
He added: “To keep measles away we must sustain immunisation of over 95% of children, but we haven’t done that.
“This moment is a miserable reflection of the state of measles vaccination in the UK and a very alarming indication of the risk to our children from this potentially fatal disease.”
