A “national call to action” is needed across the country to ensure children are vaccinated against potentially deadly measles, the head of the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has said.

Professor Dame Jenny Harries, chief executive of the UKHSA, warned that measles is spreading among unvaccinated communities, and urged parents to check whether their children have had the measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) jab.

Vaccination rates across the country have been dropping, but there are particular concerns about some regions, including parts of London and the West Midlands.

Figures released by the UKHSA show there have been 216 confirmed measles cases and 103 probable cases in the West Midlands since October 1 last year.

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Four-fifths (80%) have been found in Birmingham while 10% were identified in Coventry, with the majority being in children aged under 10.

The UKHSA has declared a national incident, which it said is an internal mechanism signalling the growing public health risk and enabling it to focus work in specific areas.

Ahead of her visit to Birmingham on Friday, Dame Jenny told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme that people have “forgotten what measles is like”, and that children can be unwell for a week or two with symptoms including a nasty rash, high fever and ear infections. She added that the virus is highly infectious.

There can also be serious complications, hospital admissions and death.

Measles symptoms to look out for

The earliest signs of measles infection include:

  • high fever
  • runny nose
  • cough
  • red and watery eyes
  • koplik spots (small red spots with bluish-white centres) inside the mouth

After several days, a rash appears, usually on the face and upper neck.

The rash spreads, eventually reaching the hands and feet and lasts 5 to 6 days before fading.

Measles is commonly confused with other infections that can lead to a rash.

Treatment for measles

There is no specific treatment for measles, and most mild cases will be recommended rest to recover from the illness.

Government guidance says: “Most patients with uncomplicated measles will recover with rest and supportive treatment (such as hydration and antipyretics).

“Secondary bacterial infections should be treated with antibiotics. All suspected cases should be confirmed, ideally by testing of oral fluid (saliva), but management will often have to be based on a clinical and epidemiological risk assessment of the likelihood of the case being true measles.”