Number of measles cases hits new high

The number of measles cases in England and Wales has risen to almost 20 times higher than a decade ago, new figures show.

Data published by the Health Protection Agency today claims that in the first ten months of the year there were 1,049 cases, more than the whole of last year.

The agency suggested the rise was due to the low uptake of the combined measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) jab over the last ten years.

Now-discredited research once claimed there was link between the injection and autism among children.

Dr Mary Ramsay, an immunisation expert at the agency, told the BBC the low uptake of the vaccine means measles was spreading easily among unvaccinated children.

“There is now a real risk of a large measles epidemic. These children are susceptible to not only measles but to mumps and rubella as well,” she said.

Today’s figures show that in Cheshire alone there was more than 60 cases of measles, leading to a programme to vaccinate 10,000 school pupils being launched.

In other news, the number of people visiting NHS dentists has fallen in the two-year period to June this year.

Latest figures found 1.2 million fewer people are getting the inside of their mouth checked out.