Two children have died as measles continues to spread across England, with London experiencing a significant rise in cases. More than half of all confirmed cases this year have been reported in the capital, primarily affecting unvaccinated children under the age of ten.
North London Boroughs Hit Hardest
North London boroughs such as Enfield, Haringey, and Islington have recorded the highest number of cases in the city. Public health officials confirmed that one child died from acute measles, while another death was linked to the late effects of the disease. For confidentiality reasons, the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) did not disclose the locations of these fatalities.
Laboratory-confirmed cases in London have reached 404 so far this year, accounting for 55% of the national total of 736. Health experts warn that the actual number is likely higher, as not all cases are confirmed through laboratory testing.
Enfield Leads in Cases
Enfield, which was at the centre of an outbreak earlier this year, has recorded the most cases in England in 2026 with 111, followed by Birmingham with 79, and Haringey and Islington with 49 cases each. Measles cases are rising again in the capital, with 63 cases reported in the four weeks to June 8, including ten in Harrow, out of 137 across the country.
Eight of the 12 local authorities with the highest number of measles cases this year are in London, including Barnet and Camden (both with 18 cases), Brent (15), Harrow (15), and Hillingdon (14).
Symptoms and Complications
Health officials describe measles symptoms as initially resembling a cold, with a runny nose, cough, sore red eyes (conjunctivitis), and fever. This is followed a few days later by a rash that spreads across the body. The rash spots are not usually itchy but can be raised and join together to form blotchy patches. Measles can lead to serious complications such as pneumonia, brain inflammation, and in rare cases, long-term disability or death.
Health Secretary Urges Vaccination
Health Secretary James Murray, MP for Ealing North, expressed his condolences, saying: "My thoughts are with the families who have suffered such unimaginable loss. These deaths are a heartbreaking reminder that measles is not a harmless childhood illness. Measles can lead to serious complications that can be fatal, and the MMR vaccine, which has saved countless lives, remains the best protection we have against this highly infectious disease."
London's total of 404 laboratory-confirmed cases so far this year compares to 493 for the whole of 2025.
Public Health Warnings
Dr Vanessa Saliba, consultant epidemiologist at UKHSA, stressed: "We urge all parents to ensure their children are up to date with their MMR or MMRV vaccines, giving them the best and safest protection against measles – which can spread very easily. 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."
Measles is a highly infectious viral illness that can spread rapidly among people who are not fully vaccinated. The latest data shows that 91.8% of five-year-olds had received one dose of the MMR vaccine in England in 2024/25, unchanged from the previous year and the lowest level since 2010/11.
Experts Call for Urgent Action
Helen Bedford, professor of child public health at the Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, University College London, said: "There have been measles cases in all areas, but the largest numbers are in areas with lowest vaccine uptake, particularly in London districts."
Dr Ben Kasstan-Dabush, from the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, added: "The immediate priority now is to ensure timely catch-up of undervaccinated children, and that school-age children are brought up to schedule as efficiently as possible with equitable pathways to vaccination through enhanced access. This is essential to avoid outbreaks in schools, and so that children can look forward to their summers free from the risk of being infected – or hospitalised."
