NEWS: Measles cases surge in Northern Ireland

As reported by BBC News, with 11 cases in six months, Northern Ireland urges MMR vaccinations to curb the spread of the highly contagious disease

In the Republic of Ireland 68 cases were logged within the same time frame.

Measles is highly infectious and is caused by a virus that can easily spread between unvaccinated people.

In February, Northern Ireland reported its first case of the disease since 2017.

It led to the the Public Health Agency (PHA) launching a mumps, measles and rubella (MMR) vaccine catch-up campaign in an effort to prevent the spread of the disease.

The PHA said there had been a decline in vaccine uptake in recent years with Northern Ireland falling behind the recommended 95% vaccination rate.

That is the level that has been recommended by the World Health Organisation (WHO).

The number of people reporting cases of the disease increased in February, according to figures released by the PHA.

Of the 68 confirmed cases in the Republic of Ireland, 18 were in children under 5-years-old.

An additional 17 cases are currently under investigation for measles.

There have been 10 measles outbreaks in the Republic of Ireland in 2024, according to the Health Protection Surveillance Centre (HPSC), external.

What are the symptoms of measles?

Measles is a highly contagious disease which is spread by coughs and sneezes.

Common symptoms include:

• high fever
• sore, red and watery eyes
• coughing
• sneezing

Small white spots may appear inside the mouth.

A blotchy red or brown rash usually appears after a few days, typically on the face and behind the ears, before spreading to the rest of the body.

It can be harder to see on brown and black skin.

Measles normally clears up within seven to 10 days. However, it can lead to pneumonia, meningitis, blindness and seizures.