Urgent warning to holidaymakers over outbreak of Victorian disease in 17 EU countries
BRITS planning to spend their summer hols in Europe have been urged to protect themselves from measles, after the deadly Victorian disease was reported in 17 countries.
Measles is incredibly infectious and can cause serious complications in some people.
Getting the MMR vaccine – two doses of which are offered to all children in the UK – is the best way to protect yourself from the disease.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) recently flagged that 17 countries in the WHO European Region had reported over 900 measles cases since the start of 2023.
“All countries, including those verified as having eliminated endemic transmission of measles, must be vigilant for possible importation and spread of this highly contagious disease,” said Dr Jose Hagan, Team Lead for Vaccine-preventable Diseases and Immunization at WHO/Europe.
Tajikistan, Turkey and Russia reported the largest number of cases, with 610, 466 and 414 each.
The UK was next with 67 incidences, followed by Serbia (40), Austria (33), Kyrgyzstan (29), Poland (28), France (22) and Belgium (19).
The Sun has reached out to the WHO for the remaining seven countries it has received reports about.
Meanwhile, the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control said that measles outbreaks had been detected in seven EU countries as of April 12.
Aside from countries the WHO identified, it named Germany with 13 cases, Spain with two, and Denmark, Estonia and Sweden with one case each.
But it noted that no measles deaths had been reported in these regions to date.
WHO urged anyone who may have missed out to get their catch-up doses.
The UK Health Security Agency(UKHSA) issued similar warnings earlier this month after revealing there had been a rise in measles cases compared to previous years.
It cautioned Brits that jabs should be up to date before summer holidays and the festival season.
There have already been 67 cases between January and April this year — which is more than the 54 seen in all of 2022.
“Most of the cases have been in London, although there have been cases picked up across the country and some are linked to travel abroad,” the UKHSA wrote.
And vaccinations for the deadly disease are at a 12-year low, official figures reveal, with the national shortage of healthcare workers – specifically health visitors – cited as a reason behind the low uptake.
“There is no question, we’re going to see a surge of cases if things continue this way,” Prof Helen Bedford, an expert in child public health at University College London, told The Sun.
“So far, we’ve only seen limited outbreaks across the country, but we’re likely to see more,” she added.
The Sun also revealed the areas in England most vulnerable to measles outbreaks such as Hackney in London, where just 55.2 per cent of five-year-olds had both dosses of the MMR jab.
The MMR vaccine nearly wiped out the bug in the 2010s, but uptake tumbled and Britain lost its “elimination” status in 2019, when there were 880 cases.
Those numbers dropped again during Covid lockdowns, but so did take-up rates for the jab, which experts say has resulted in a global increase in measles.
What the are the symptoms of measles?
Measles usually starts with cold-like symptoms.
These include:
- a high temperature
- a runny or blocked nose
- sneezing
- a cough
- red, sore, watery eyes
Small white spots may appear inside the cheeks and on the back of the lips a few days later, usually lasting a few days.
And a rash a blotchy rash tends to pop up a few days after the symptoms, starting on the face and behind the ears and then spreading to the rest of the body. It’ll look brown or red on white skin but may be harder to spot on brown or black skin.
The spots of the measles rash are sometimes raised and join together to form blotchy patches. They’re not usually itchy.
You should ask for an urgent GP appointment or get help from NHS 111 if you think you or your child have measles, or if you’ve been in close contact with someone who has it and haven’t had two MMR doses or had the disease before.
Anyone can get measles if they haven’t been vaccinated or they haven’t had it before.
It usually clears in 7 to 10 days but can lead to other serious complications.
Source: NHS
About one in every 5,000 people will die from measles. It can lead to serious problems if it spreads to other parts of the body, such as the lungs or brain.
Complications are more likely to develop in:
- babies younger than a year old
- children with a poor diet
- children with a weakened immune system
The most common complications include diarrhoea and vomiting, ear infections, eye infection, pneumonia and bronchitis.
But measles can also lead to other complications, although these are rare:
- hepatitis
- brain infections
- eye problems and vision loss
- heart and nervous system problems
- miscarriage or still birth
- premature birth
- low birth weight
There is no specific treatment for the disease, so your GP will probably suggest resting at home and waiting for it to clear.
You can ease your symptoms with pain killers, but always speak to your GP first.
You can avoid measles by getting vaccinated – the MMR jab also protect you against mumps and rubella, two other serious illnesses.
It’s important to check you’ve had both doses of the vaccine if you’re planning on travelling abroad, NHS guidance notes.