Why is measles surging in London?

Outbreak linked to falling vaccination coverage

A large measles outbreak in north-east London has spread through schools and a nursery, infecting dozens of children and sending some to hospital. Public-health teams have identified that most cases are among unvaccinated children, and officials are urging parents to check immunisation records and get MMR doses up to date.

The immediate drivers are low uptake of the measles-mumps-rubella vaccine in the affected communities and the virus’s high infectivity. Measles can spread rapidly in schools and other settings where children mix closely; because one infected person can infect many others before symptoms appear, even small pockets of under-vaccination allow outbreaks to grow quickly. Local health authorities have responded with case finding, contact tracing, and targeted vaccination offers.

What parents and schools are being asked to do:

• Check children’s MMR vaccination status and arrange catch-up doses if needed.
• Look out for measles symptoms such as high fever, cough, runny nose, red eyes and a rash, and seek medical advice if concerned.
• Follow isolation and exclusion guidance when a case is identified; close contacts who are unvaccinated may be excluded from school for several weeks to prevent spread.

Why it matters nationally and overseas

The London outbreak comes amid wider increases in measles cases in several countries. Public-health experts warn that declining vaccine confidence and gaps in delivery can erode the population immunity that kept measles rare for decades. Controlling outbreaks now requires rapid vaccination campaigns and clear communication to rebuild coverage and prevent more severe outcomes in young children.