Streeting vows to ‘redouble’ vaccination efforts after measles death
- A child in Liverpool is believed to have died after contracting measles, just days after officials warned of a rising number of cases across the country.
- Health Secretary Wes Streeting said the nation needed to “redouble its efforts” to vaccinate more children following the reported death.
- There have been 529 laboratory-confirmed measles cases reported in England since the beginning of the year.
- The UK has the worst measles vaccination rates among G7 countries, with only 89 per cent of children receiving their first MMR jab in 2024, significantly below the 95 per cent herd immunity target set by the World Health Organisation.
- Measles is a highly infectious viral illness that can lead to serious complications, and the most effective way to prevent it is through the MMR vaccine.