An adult with an underlying immunological problem has died from measles in England, the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has confirmed, as cases continue to rise across the country. The death brings the total number of measles fatalities in England this year to three, following the deaths of two children reported in June.
Rising Case Numbers
Data from the UKHSA reveals 883 confirmed measles cases have been recorded in England since the start of the year up to July 6. This compares to a total of 959 confirmed cases reported throughout the whole of 2025. The agency said all regions of England have reported cases, with more than half (52 per cent) in London, 17 per cent in the West Midlands and 10 per cent in the North West.
The majority of cases have been in children aged 10 and under, according to the UKHSA.
Vaccination Campaign
The death comes after NHS leaders launched a catch-up campaign aimed at parents of children aged two to 11 who have missed out on the MMR vaccine, which protects against measles, mumps and rubella. The jab now also protects against chicken pox and is known as the MMR/V vaccine. Health officials are aiming to contact around a million families of children who have missed one or both doses of the vaccine.
Figures for the first three months of the year show that 84.1 per cent of five-year-olds had received both doses of the MMR vaccine. GPs will contact parents of children under the age of six, while those with children aged six to 11 will be contacted through the NHS app, text, email or letter.
Measles Symptoms
Measles usually starts with cold-like symptoms, followed by a rash a few days later. The first symptoms include a high temperature, a runny or blocked nose, sneezing, a cough or red, sore, watery eyes. Small white spots may appear inside the cheeks and on the back of the lips a few days later, lasting a few days. A rash usually appears a few days after the cold-like symptoms, starting on the face and behind the ears before spreading to the rest of the body.
Elimination Status
Earlier this year, the World Health Organisation said the UK was no longer considered to have eliminated measles. The announcement in January followed a plateau in vaccination coverage and a surge in cases.
