Health chief issues measles epidemic warning (From Cotswold Journal)

Health chief issues measles epidemic warning

11:27am Monday 24th November 2008 in News By Simon Crump

SHIPSTON and the rest of South Warwickshire faces a measles epidemic unless more parents get their children immunised against the disease, a health chief has warned.

Dr Huda Mohamed, Warwickshire’s Health Protection Agency director, issued this warning as measles spreads throughout the area.

The agency and National Health Service have reported 27 suspected measles cases in Warwickshire, most involving children aged less than 10.

Only seven suspected cases were reported last November.

There were 32 cases in the whole of the West Midlands between January and September 2008.

Dr Mohamed said the national target is for 95 per cent of children to be immunised but Warwickshire’s figure is below this, resulting in measles spreading rapidly.

The latest figures show 85 per cent of South Warwickshire’s children, aged five or less, have had one dose of vaccine but only 83.7 per cent have had the full protection afforded by two.

Measles is most common among children aged between one and four but anyone who has not been immunised can catch it.

Children receive their first MMR vaccination aged 13 months, with a second given at three years and four months.

There are one million deaths from measles annually.

Children aged less than two are most at risk from complications, which can include inflammation of the brain, pneumonia, croup and ear and eye infections.

Dr Mohamed said: “We are on the cusp of a measles epidemic and we must do all we can to head it off by encouraging parents to immunise their children.

“We, alongside colleagues in the NHS, are urging all parents to ensure that their children are adequately vaccinated against it.”

Helen King, Warwickshire’s acting director of public health, said public concerns about MMR’s safety were unfounded because it is proven to be safe and effective and is given to millions of children worldwide.

For information about immunisation, people are urged to contact their doctor, log onto www.immunisation.nhs.uk or telephone NHS Direct on 0845 4647.