Second UK Child Dies as Measles Outbreak Grows

A child has died of measles at Alder Hey Children’s Hospital in Liverpool, marking the UK’s second child fatality from acute measles this decade amid a surge of cases nationwide. The hospital has treated 17 children for severe measles, many with underlying health conditions. National MMR vaccination coverage has dropped to about 85%, with Liverpool’s rate even lower at 73.4%, far below the 95% needed for herd immunity. Health experts link the outbreak to low vaccination rates, fueled by pandemic fatigue and misinformation. Cases like baby Margot, too young for vaccination, and Renae Archer, who died from a rare complication years after infection, underscore the disease’s risks. Officials stress that the MMR vaccine provides strong protection and urge parents to vaccinate their children to prevent further deaths.