Parents are being urged to protect their children with two doses of MMR vaccine following an outbreak of measles in Wimslow and neighbouring areas of East Cheshire.
Sixteen cases have been reported in the area since the beginning of July in children ranging in age from 10 months to fifteen years old. Two children were admitted to hospital but have since recovered and been allowed home. The other children are all also recovering well.
All cases were in children who had not been previously vaccinated.
Dr Sam Ghebrehewet, Consultant in Communicable Disease from Cheshire & Merseyside Health Protection Unit said: "I can't stress enough the importance of parents ensuring that their children are given two doses of MMR vaccine. This vaccine protects against measles, mumps and rubella.
"Measles is potentially a very serious – and on rare occasions fatal – disease. Unfortunately in Cheshire there are a number of children who are still not fully protected against it. We are therefore advising parents that if their child has missed one or both doses of MMR, they should contact their GP to arrange vaccination."
Doses of MMR vaccine are normally given at age 13 months of age and between the ages of 3 and 4 years, just before the child goes to school. However, children of any age, including teenagers and young adults, can still be vaccinated if they missed out on immunisation when they were younger.
Dr. Guy Hayhurst, Consultant in Public Health with NHS Central & Eastern Cheshire says: "Currently about 92% of East Cheshire's two-year-olds have had their first MMR jab but only 86% have the second injection by age five. Both jabs are necessary to ensure that children have full immunity."
