A slump in the take-up of the controversial MMR vaccine has been blamed for an outbreak of measles in Sandwell.
A total of 21 children in Sandwell are believed to have caught measles this year, ending a ten-year period where not a single case was seen.
Health bosses say the dramatic rise is because “too few” people are having the MMR jab amid unproven fears that it is linked to autism.Sandwell’s director of public health said there had been 21 suspected cases of measles in the borough since January.
The infection affected babies who were too young to be immunised and young children who may only have had one MMR instead of the recommended two doses. None of the cases resulted in death or hospitalisation.
Until these cases, Sandwell had been “measles free” for over 10 years, according to Sandwell’ s Primary Care Trust (PCT).
Director of public health Dr John Middleton said: “These cases of measles were caused by a poor uptake of the MMR jab. Too few people in our region have been immunised.
“Those known to be infected with measles were young children who had not received any MMR immunisation or had not received the full course of two immunisations.”
According to Sandwell PCT, the MMR take-up rate in the borough between January and June was 86 per cent, compared to just under 90 per cent four years ago.
In Dudley there have been 18 suspected, but no confirmed, cases of measles since January 1.
Measles gives children and adults a high temperature and rash, but around one in 15 cases are more serious and can cause fits, brain damage and even death.
By Louise Watt and Emma Sloper
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