What's happened
Measles cases have surged in the UK and Europe, leading to a national incident being declared and urgent vaccination efforts.
Why it matters
The surge in measles cases is significant as it poses a serious health threat, especially to unvaccinated children, and requires immediate action to prevent large outbreaks and protect individuals.
What the papers say
The World Health Organization has issued an urgent warning over measles after an 'alarming' 30-fold rise in cases across Europe, while the UK Health Security Agency has declared a national incident over a surge in measles cases amid fears that an outbreak in the West Midlands could spread.
How we got here
Measles cases have surged in the UK and Europe, with a 30-fold rise in cases across Europe and a national incident being declared in the UK. The surge is attributed to falling vaccination rates during the Covid-19 pandemic.
More on these topics
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The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom or Britain, is a sovereign country located off the northÂwestern coast of the European mainland.
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The National Health Service is the publicly funded healthcare system in England, and one of the four National Health Service systems in the United Kingdom.
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The UK Health Security Agency is a government agency in the United Kingdom, responsible since April 2021 for UK-wide public health protection and infectious disease capability, and replacing Public Health England.
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The World Health Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations responsible for international public health. The WHO Constitution, which establishes the agency's governing structure and principles, states its main objective as "the attainment
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Hans Henri P. Kluge is World Health Organization regional director for Europe since 1 February 2020.
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Sir Andrew John Pollard FHEA FMedSci is a Professor of Paediatric Infection and Immunity at the University of Oxford and a Fellow of St Cross College, Oxford.