Hertfordshire: Rising measles cases and outbreaks expected

Four cases of the disease have been confirmed across the county in 2024, compared to just seven in the East of England last year.

With 200 confirmed cases in the country, Hertfordshire County Council and the NHS Hertfordshire and West Essex Integrated Care Board have appealed for residents to ensure that they are vaccinated.

Hertfordshire currently falls below the 95 per cent target for five-year-olds to receive both doses of the measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine.

Across the county, 88.8 per cent of people have received both doses by the age of five, compared to 87.9 per cent in the East of England.

The Hertfordshire County Council building, Hertford. (Image: Google Maps)

Sarah Perman, Hertfordshire County Council's director of public health, said: "As you can see from those figures, we do fall below that 95 per cent target.

"So, it is to be expected that we will see rising cases and outbreaks in Hertfordshire.

"We also know that there are some areas of our county which have lower than 80 per cent uptake for second doses by the age of five.

"There are some GP practices in Watford, Borehamwood, Abbots Langley, Kings Langley and Hatfield where we are seeing particularly low uptake for the second dose.

"If your child has missed one or both doses, please contact your GP practice to arrange an appointment now and don't delay...

"...We will see more cases and we will see outbreaks, I've got no doubt about that."

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Dr Jane Halpin, of the NHS Hertfordshire and West Essex Integrated Care Board added: "The fact that measles is so infectious, and the fact that we know that there are some age groups of people where vaccination rates are even lower, we are worried that it may well mean that we have significant numbers of people that are having to take time of work.

"(This could be) because they are a possible contact, in case they might spread it to other people.

Dr Jane Halpin, of the NHS Hertfordshire and West Essex Integrated Care Board.

"We're really keen that we don't end up in that scenario, where we've got that happening as well as the direct impact that this has on younger children, who are the group of main concern."