Measles death triggers warning for parents to check vaccines ahead of travel

Cases rising in summer holiday destinations popular with UAE families

A child receives an MMR vaccine in Lubbock, Texas. Measles cases are on the rise in many places, amid a decline in vaccination rates. Getty Images

Parents are being urged to ensure children are fully vaccinated against measles ahead of any overseas travel this summer as the number of cases continues to climb in Europe and the US.

A child in Liverpool, northern England recently died from the disease, as the UK battles with plummeting vaccination rates.

National uptake of the measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine has dropped to about 84 per cent since 2015 in the UK − well below the recommended level of 95 per cent to ensure adequate herd immunity and protect vulnerable groups.

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It is a similar trend in the US, where measles cases have climbed to their highest level for 30 years.

According to the US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, there were 1,288 confirmed cases of measles on July 9, including one adult and two infant deaths.

The highly infectious disease was eliminated from the US in 2000 but has undergone a resurgence due to rising vaccine hesitancy and misinformation circulating online relating to safety.

Meanwhile, in Europe, measles cases have soared to their highest levels since 1997.

Outbreaks have been reported this year in popular summer destinations in France, Italy, Spain and Germany. Doctors are urging UAE families to check their vaccination schedules are up to date before overseas travel.

Dr Grace Nehme, a consultant in paediatric haematology and oncology medicine at Clemenceau Medical Centre Hospital in Dubai, said while most children have been vaccinated, some parents remain hesitant.

“In Dubai, hesitancy is less than elsewhere but still some patients are refusing despite all the counselling,” she said. “We do everything possible and they are still refusing to vaccinate but this is not more than maybe 2 per cent-3 per cent of the population.

"For parents of children not yet of age to be vaccinated, usually at one year of age, travelling to an endemic area or an area with an outbreak, we can give the vaccine at nine months.

“But for very small children below that age, parents will have to take extra precautions.”

Symptoms to spot

Typical symptoms include high fever, cough, runny nose and red, watery eyes.

Children often also have a rash that starts on the face and spreads down the body, or tiny white spots inside the mouth.

“Young children travelling with parents this summer, who are not vaccinated, should avoid being around any sick children, especially anyone with fever and rash,” said Dr Nehme.

“They should avoid very crowded areas, which is difficult when you're a tourist and you want to visit all the nice places.

“But if you have a small baby, try to avoid peak times when there are a lot of people. Every time a family travels, children can get sick pretty quickly because they're building their immunity. But for the vaccinated kids, you're not that worried.”

Europe reported 127,350 cases of measles in 2024, double the number of incidents reported to the World Health Organisation the previous year.

Rising cases have also been reported elsewhere in Nigeria, Indonesia, Pakistan, India and Thailand.

“Summer is a great time for families to travel and it’s also a good opportunity to make sure children are up to date on their vaccinations,” said Dr Shruthi Punnapu, a specialist paediatrician at Medcare Women & Children Hospital.

“Before heading out, parents are encouraged to check in with their child’s doctor or local health clinic to review the vaccination schedule.

“Most clinics can provide guidance quickly and many vaccines can be given on an accelerated schedule if travel is coming up soon.

“If travelling to areas where there have been recent outbreak of measles in parts of Europe or whooping cough in the US, extra precautions may be recommended.”

Vaccine catch-up

In recent years, some children have fallen behind on routine vaccines. This can happen for many reasons, from changes in schedules or health coverage to delays during the pandemic.

“The good news is that it’s never too late to catch up which helps ensure children are ready not just for travel, but also for school and other activities where illnesses can spread more easily,” said Dr Punnapu. “It’s a simple but powerful way to protect their health and keep everyone safer.”

Vaccinations are one of humanity's greatest success stories in public health over the past century.

Researchers at the Burnet Institute, in collaboration with Gavi the Vaccine Alliance, found emergency vaccinations against measles, cholera, Ebola, meningitis and yellow fever had reduced the number of deaths by almost 60 per cent between 2000 and 2023.

That global response also generated more than $32 billion in economic benefits and prevented further outbreaks of disease, the institute’s study on global health security found.

Research published in the British Medical Journal of Global Health evaluated 210 outbreaks of five infectious diseases – cholera, Ebola, measles, meningitis and yellow fever – in 49 lower-income countries between 2000 and 2023.

Experts said the findings highlighted the value of rapid outbreak response times and maintaining strong routine immunisation coverage, especially in high-risk settings to prevent and minimise cases and deaths.

When outbreaks have occurred in lower-income countries since 2005, measles vaccinations have reduced cases by 59 per cent and deaths by 52 per cent.

Immunisation campaigns also dramatically helped reduce the risk of large outbreaks from spreading further in communities with low baseline immunity due to lower vaccine coverage.

Declining protection rates

Like most other vaccines, measles immunisation has declined since the Covid-19 pandemic.

Gavi has led efforts to bring nations back up to the coverage required to prevent large-scale outbreaks of the disease.

Since 2021, about 35 million children have been protected as a result of outbreak response vaccination campaigns.

“For the first time, we are able to comprehensively quantify the benefit, in human and economic terms, of deploying vaccines against outbreaks of some of the deadliest infectious diseases,” said Dr Sania Nishtar, chief executive of Gavi.

“This study demonstrates clearly the power of vaccines as a cost-effective countermeasure to the increasing risk the world faces from outbreaks.

“It also underscores the importance of fully funding Gavi, so it can continue to protect communities in the next five years to come.”