Two children die from measles as England reports more than 100 new cases in a fortnight

Two children in England have died from measles this year – the first time the disease has claimed two lives in a single year in England and Wales since 2018. The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) confirmed on Thursday that one child died from “acute measles” and the other from the “late effects of measles”. The announcement came as data showed 106 new laboratory-confirmed cases in the last fortnight alone, bringing the total for 2026 to 736 between 1 January and 8 June – compared with 959 for the whole of 2025. Most cases were among unvaccinated children aged 10 and under, the agency said. Measles continues to circulate widely, with the highest numbers in London, the east of England and the West Midlands. “Our thoughts and condolences are with the families who have so tragically lost their children,” said Dr Vanessa Saliba, a consultant epidemiologist at UKHSA. “Measles continues to circulate in many parts of the country and, as we have seen, it can be very serious and even fatal. We urge all parents to ensure their children are up to date with their MMR or MMRV vaccines.” The deaths come amid growing concern over falling vaccination rates. In February, MPs and health experts told the Guardian that the NHS was “clearly failing” to ensure children received the MMR jab, with rates in some parts of England now on a par with those in Afghanistan and Malawi. In January, the World Health Organization declared that the UK was no longer considered to have eliminated measles. Dr Saliba urged anyone who had missed a dose to catch up through their GP, adding: “Getting vaccinated also helps protect babies who are too young to be vaccinated, and people unable to have the vaccine due to a health condition. Please don’t delay.”