US, UK Face Rising Measles Cases Amid Vaccination Declines

Measles cases are rising sharply in both the United States and the United Kingdom, raising concerns about public health and vaccine coverage. In the U.S., Dr. Katherine O’Brien of the World Health Organization urged President Donald Trump's administration to promote measles vaccination to prevent losing the country's disease-elimination status, warning that ongoing transmission for a year would mark the disease as endemic for the first time in 25 years, and highlighting recent deaths among unvaccinated children. Meanwhile, the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) reported significant outbreaks in England, particularly in London and the West Midlands, with most cases occurring in unvaccinated children under 10 years old, and warned of a possible surge linked to summer travel and global increases in measles cases. The UKHSA emphasized the importance of the MMR vaccine, which is free on the NHS and requires two doses for full protection, especially before social gatherings and holidays. Vaccine uptake declines, exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, have contributed to this resurgence, with London showing nearly 28% of children lacking full immunization. Health officials in both countries stressed that measles is highly contagious and can cause serious illness, permanent disability, or death, underscoring the urgent need for widespread vaccination.