A measles warning has been issued to schools across Cumbria as the number of confirmed cases in the region continues to rise.

Parents are being urged to ensure their children are vaccinated after outbreaks in other parts of the north west.

Measles is a highly infectious disease. It can lead to serious illness, disability and even death.

Public Health England (PHE) has sent letters to schools and nurseries across the county, asking staff to be on high alert.

Although there have been no confirmed cases in Cumbria to date, measles has been spreading since before Christmas.

Latest figures show cases in Lancashire, Greater Manchester, Merseyside and Cheshire as well as some in the north east.

There are also ongoing outbreaks in other parts of Europe, including Romania, Italy and Germany. PHE is therefore warning that anyone travelling to these countries is at particular high risk.

Mark McGivern, health protection consultant at Public Health England North West, is urging parents to ensure their children have had the MMR jab to protect against measles, mumps and rubella (German measles).

He said: “Measles is a very infectious virus and can spread rapidly among communities, such as schools, if people have not been fully immunised.

"While most people who catch measles will recover completely within a couple of weeks, it's important to remember measles can be a very serious illness that can leave permanent disability, and occasionally even kill.

“Although we have not had any confirmed cases in Cumbria, there have been outbreaks in other areas of the north west and I would still urge parents who have not yet had their children vaccinated to get them protected as soon as possible through their GP."

Mr McGivern said children should receive two doses of the MMR vaccine for maximum protection.

"MMR not only protects them, but also limits the chances of the virus spreading more widely, for example to babies who are too young to have the vaccine and to adults who may be more vulnerable to the disease for example because of cancer treatment . MMR is a highly effective and safe vaccine," he added.

Because measles is so infectious, anyone with symptoms is advised to stay at home and phone their GP or NHS 111 for initial advice.

Anyone planning to travel to Romania, Italy or Germany is urged to ensure they have had both doses of the MMR vaccine.

That applies to adults as well as children. If not, PHE recommends contacting your GP to arrange vaccination.

Mr McGivern added: “The free MMR vaccine is a safe and effective way of protecting against measles, as well as mumps and rubella.

"It’s particularly important for parents to take up the offer of MMR vaccination for their children when offered at one year of age and as a pre-school booster at three years, four months of age.

"If children and young adults have missed these vaccinations in the past, it’s important to take up the vaccine now from GPs.”


What are the symptoms of measles?

  • A runny or blocked nose
  • Sneezing
  • Watery eyes
  • Swollen eyelids
  • Sore, red eyes that may be sensitive to light
  • High temperature/fever, which may reach around 40C
  • Small greyish-white spots in the mouth
  • Aches and pains
  • A cough
  • Loss of appetite
  • Tiredness, irritability and a general lack of energy
  • A rash that develops after a few days

What does the rash look like?

  • The measles rash is made up of small red-brown, flat or slightly raised spots that may join together into larger blotchy patches
  • They usually first appear on the head or neck, before spreading outwards to the rest of the body
  • It is slightly itchy for some people can look similar to other childhood conditions, such as slapped cheek syndrome, roseola or rubella

What should I do if I think I have measles?

  • Stay away from school, nursery or work until five days have elapsed after the onset of a rash
  • Phone your GP or NHS walk-in centre before attending so that arrangements can be made for you to be treated in a separate area to prevent spread to other vulnerable patients.
  • Avoid contact with people generally, but particularly babies, pregnant women and anyone who is known to have poor immunity to infection.