Over a quarter of 2026 measles cases in the UK confirmed in the West Midlands as expert warns 'areas of the UK are vaccinated less than Afghanistan' - here's where to get your jabs
There have been 25 cases of the measles confirmed in the West Midlands since the start of 2026 - as experts urge the public to get their vaccines.
Figures the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), England recorded 96 measles cases between 1 January and 9 February 2026, with 79 of these occurring in just the four weeks since 12 January.
The West Midlands has accounted for over a quarter of the national figures with 25 laboratory-confirmed cases so far. The entirety of the West Midlands only saw 76 cases throughout the whole year in 2025.
Measles can lead to complications such as ear and chest infections, fits, diarrhoea and dehydration in younger children. On rare occasions, it can lead to serious problems including meningitis, blindness and hearing loss - and can even be fatal.
It comes as Dr Hilary Jones told national broadcasters that rate of vaccination in some areas of the UK is below that seen in Afghanistan and Malawi. He said: "Measles is not a trivial infection, as you well know it can cause nasty illnesses.
“Vaccination is very, very effective and very safe, and most children are vaccinated now, but we've had falling rates of vaccination in the last decade, particularly in some areas of the country where it's gone down to below where Afghanistan and Malawi's vaccination rates are recorded at."
Walsall Council Public Health, alongside UKHSA and NHS colleagues, are reminding families that measles is a highly infectious illness that can spread quickly if people have not had two doses of the MMR or MMRV vaccine, with increased risk if families are going on holiday to countries with high rates of measles.
