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UK Loses Measles Elimination Status After Rise in Cases

lite News Desk 2 min read

At a glance

  • The World Health Organization removed the UK's measles elimination status
  • Measles transmission was re-established in the UK in 2024
  • Vaccination rates among five-year-olds in England have reached their lowest since 2010-11

The World Health Organization has withdrawn the UK's measles elimination status following a resurgence of the disease and a drop in vaccination coverage.

Measles transmission returned to the UK in 2024, ending the period from 2021 to 2023 when the country was considered to have eliminated the disease. The change in status was reported by the World Health Organization through media channels on 26 January 2026.

In 2024, health authorities confirmed 3,681 measles cases in the UK. The UK Health Security Agency updated its measles elimination indicators page on the same day the status change was announced.

Vaccination coverage among children in England has declined. In the 2024-25 period, 91.9% of five-year-olds received one dose of the MMR vaccine, while 83.7% received both doses. These figures represent the lowest levels recorded since the early 2010s.

What the numbers show

  • 3,681 confirmed measles cases in the UK in 2024
  • 91.9% of five-year-olds in England received one MMR dose in 2024-25
  • 83.7% of five-year-olds in England received both MMR doses in 2024-25
  • WHO recommends at least 95% vaccination coverage for herd immunity

The World Health Organization recommends a minimum of 95% vaccination coverage with two doses of the MMR vaccine to achieve herd immunity against measles. The current rates in England fall below this threshold, according to published data.

From 2021 to 2023, the UK was classified as having eliminated measles, but the return of sustained transmission in 2024 led to the removal of this status. The change reflects ongoing challenges in maintaining high vaccination rates.

The UK Health Security Agency published an update to its measles elimination indicators page on 26 January 2026, reflecting the revised status and recent data on vaccination coverage and case numbers.

Measles elimination status is granted when a country interrupts endemic transmission for at least 12 months. The re-establishment of transmission in the UK in 2024 resulted in the loss of this designation by the World Health Organization.

* This article is based on publicly available information at the time of writing.

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