Health officials are aiming to contact around a million families of children who have missed one or both doses of the MMR/V vaccine which also protects against chicken pox
An adult in the UK has died from measles as cases continue to rise, health officials have confirmed. New figures released by the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) show there have been 883 confirmed measles cases reported in England from the start of the year to July 6.
More than 50 per cent of the national cases so far in 2026 have been in London, including a measles outbreak which hit North London schools back in January. Enfield was the UK hotspot for cases at the start of this year, with at least 80 children infected.
In the whole of 2025, there were a total of 959 confirmed cases across the England. In June, health officials announced that two children in England had died from measles. Now officials have reported that an adult with an “underlying immunological problem” has also died.
The UKHSA said all regions of England have reported cases, with more than half (52%) in London, 17% in the West Midlands and 10% in the North West. The organisation said the “majority” of cases were in children aged 10 and under.
It comes after NHS leaders launched a catch-up campaign aimed at parents of children aged two to 11 who have missed out on the MMR vaccine which protects against measles, mumps and rubella. The jab now also protects against chicken pox and is known as the MMR/V vaccine.
Health officials are aiming to contact around a million families of children who have missed one or both doses of the vaccine. Figures for the first three months of the year show that 84.1% of five-year-olds had received both doses of the MMR vaccine.
GPs will contact parents of children under the age of six. Those with children aged six to 11 will be contacted through the NHS app, text, email or letter.
Earlier this year, the World Health Organisation said the UK was no longer considered to have eliminated measles. The announcement in January followed a plateau in vaccination coverage and a surge in cases.
Measles symptoms
– Symptoms typically begin with cold-like illness including high temperature, runny nose, sneezing, a cough and red, watery eyes.
– This may be followed by small white spots on the inside of cheeks and back of lips
– A distinctive red or brown rash then appears roughly three to five days after the initial symptoms on the face and behind the ears which then spreads across the body.
