The number of hospital admissions for measles has increased by 66% in the past year, new figures released by NHS Digital have shown.
The Hospital Admitted Patient Care Activity Report released today by NHS Digital has shown that there were 328 admissions for measles in England in the 2018/19 financial year.
This represents a measles admission increase of 66%, up from 198 in 2017/18.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson highlighted the urgent action required to halt the spread of measles in August, after the World Health Organization announced that the UK was no longer considered measles free.
The action points announced by the Prime Minister included writing to GPs to urge them to promote catch-up vaccines to unvaccinated 5-25-year-olds and strengthening the role of local immunisation coordinators in order to promote the vaccine to hard-to-reach groups.
Senior GPs also wrote to the Government earlier this month recommending that vaccination status should be checked before children start school and children not allowed to start if they have not had their MMR vaccine.
The figures come as the UK was reported to have the second-lowest MMR vaccination rates in Europe.
