Child dies as measles cases surge at Liverpool hospital

A child with measles has died at a Liverpool hospital.

The individual was being treated at Alder Hey Children's Hospital after becoming ill with measles and other health problems.

It comes as the NHS hospital said it is "concerned" about the increasing number of children and young people who are contracting the highly contagious virus.

It said it has treated 17 cases of the effects and complications of measles since June.

"We are concerned about the increasing number of children and young people who are contracting measles. Measles is a highly contagious viral illness which can cause children to be seriously unwell, requiring hospital treatment, and in rare cases, death," the hospital said in a statement to Sky News.

In a separate open letter to parents and carers in Merseyside earlier this month, Alder Hey, along with the UK Health and Security Agency (UKHSA) and directors of Public Health for Liverpool, Sefton and Knowsley, warned the increase in measles in the region could be down to fewer people getting vaccinated.

The letter read: "We are seeing more cases of measles in our children and young people because fewer people are having the MMR vaccine, which protects against measles and two other viruses called mumps and rubella.

"Children in hospital, who are very poorly for another reason, are at higher risk of catching the virus."

It comes after a Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health (RCPCH) report released earlier this month determined that uptake of vaccines in the UK has stalled over the last decade and is, in many cases, declining.

It said none of the routine childhood vaccinations have met the 95% coverage target since 2021, putting youngsters at risk of measles, meningitis and whooping cough.

The MMR vaccine has been available through the NHS for years. Two doses give lifelong protection against measles, mumps and rubella.

According to the latest NHS data, Liverpool was one of the cities outside London with the lowest uptake of the MMR vaccination in 2023-2024.

By the time children were five years old, 86.5% had been given one dose, decreasing to 73.4% for a second dose.

'Lack of access' behind declining vaccine uptake

Helen Bedford, a professor of children's health at the UCL Great Ormond Street Institute, told Sky News a combination of things may be stopping parents from getting their children vaccinated.

"It is mainly due to lack of access," Professor Bedford said.

"People may not know when vaccines are due, how to make an appointment, then there's actually getting to the appointment.

"For some parents who are suffering the impact of poverty, paying a bus fare to get your child to a GP surgery may be a step too far, even though they understand vaccination is very important."

Professor Bedford added since the COVID pandemic, more parents are asking questions about vaccinations, which can lead to them searching the internet for answers.

"We want parents to ask questions but unfortunately due to lack of personnel and health visitors, they can't always get answers or even an opportunity to have a discussion," she said.

"That's when they turn to other sources of information, like social media or the internet, where we know there is a lot of disinformation."

Professor Bedford said she was "very concerned" about the lack of vaccine uptake, but stressed the figures can be reversed.

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Similar concerns in US

In the US, measles cases are at their highest in more than three decades.

Cases reached 1,288 on Wednesday this week, according to the US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, with 14 states battling active outbreaks.

The largest outbreak started five months ago in communities in West Texas, where vaccination uptake is low. Since then, three people have died - including two children in Texas and an adult in New Mexico - with dozens more in hospital.

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