Mobile UPI  |   About UPI  |   UPI en Español  |   UPI Arabic  |   UPIU  |   My Account
Search:
Go

England, Wales face spike in measles cases

|
|
 
  
Published: Nov. 29, 2008 at 12:49 PM

LONDON, Nov. 29 (UPI) -- Cases of measles in England and Wales are at their highest level since 1995, prompting fears of an epidemic, healthcare experts say.

The Daily Telegraph reported Saturday that vaccination rates for the last decade have been too low to prevent outbreaks of the disease.

The newspaper said cases of measles are highest in the children who were not vaccinated as babies and are now starting secondary school.

So far this year, there have been 1,049 confirmed cases of measles in England and Wales. By comparison, there were a total of 990 confirmed cases last year.

"Over the last few years we have seen an unprecedented increase in measles cases and we are still receiving reports of cases across the country," said Dr. Mary Ramsay of the Health Protection Agency.

She said the number of measles cases this year represents the highest number of measles cases recorded in England and Wales since the current method of monitoring the disease was introduced in 1995.

© 2008 United Press International, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Any reproduction, republication, redistribution and/or modification of any UPI content is expressly prohibited without UPI's prior written consent.

Order reprints
  
Join the conversation
Most Popular Collections
Protesters, police clash at NATO summit Notable deaths of 2012 2012 Billboard Music Awards
The 137th Preakness Stakes Annual Solar eclipse occurs in U.S. Chen Guangcheng arrives in the U.S.
Additional Health News Stories
1 of 29
Members of the Army's Old Guard place flags at Arlington National Ceremtery
View Caption
U.S. flags are seen in the rucksack of a soldier with the Army's 3d U.S. Infantry Regiment, The Old Guard, as he places flags at gravesites in Arlington National Cemetery as part of the Flags-In Memorial Day ceremony on May 24, 2012 in Arlington, Virginia. American flags were placed at each of the more than 220,000 grave markers in honor of those who served and Memorial Day. UPI/Kevin Dietshc
fark
Daily Show writer partners with Slate to crowdsource ideas for amending and rewriting the Constitution....
Canada's national archives is being dismantled and scattered, who needs to remember the history...
Man disappears in Niagara Falls whirlpool; presumed to be spinning in his grave
Woman swallows toothbrush while brushing her teeth. Surgeons remove it before Oral B becomes Anal...
MSNBC Host Chris Hayes: I'm 'Uncomfortable' calling fallen military 'Heroes'
What do you REALLY know about the Queen?