Children could be forced to miss up to three weeks of school in isolation as measles cases continue to surge across parts of the United Kingdom (UK) with nearly 100 cases of the highly contagious disease confirmed this year, the majority involving primary school aged children.
In Enfield, north London, currently one of the hardest hit areas, parents have been warned that unvaccinated pupils who come into contact with someone infected may be required to stay off school for 21 days. Guidance issued locally states that unvaccinated children should be excluded for three weeks following exposure.
Those who suspect they have contracted measles have also been advised to isolate yourself if possible to help limit further spread. Dudu Sher-Arami, Enfield Council’s director of public health, wrote to parents stating that if your child is identified as being a close contact of a person with measles and they are unvaccinated, they may be excluded from school for 21 days.
Health officials say the current outbreak is being driven in part by falling uptake of the measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine, which has dropped to 84 percent, the lowest level in more than a decade. The World Health Organization (WHO) recently removed the UK’s measles free status after thousands of confirmed cases in 2024 and continued high numbers in 2025.
According to the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), 96 cases have been recorded up to early February this year, with 77 percent involving children under 10 years old. Nearly two thirds of all infections were in London, and more than half of those were concentrated in Enfield alone.
The UKHSA reported 34 laboratory confirmed measles cases in Enfield from January 1 to February 9, 2026. More than 60 suspected cases have now been reported by seven schools and a nursery in the borough according to multiple health authorities.
Local officials say the outbreak has affected multiple schools. Enfield Councillor Alev Cazimoglu stated that the surge had mainly affected children and some have required additional care with a short stay in hospital. She added that the current outbreak has required additional response measures to contain spread.
A message posted on the National Health Service (NHS) Ordnance Unity Centre For Health general practitioner (GP) surgery website stated there was a fast spreading measles outbreak in several schools across Enfield. The surgery added that infections have been confirmed across at least seven schools in Enfield and Haringey and it is spreading.
The GP surgery revealed that during this recent outbreak, one in five children have been hospitalized due to measles and all of them had not been fully immunized. This hospitalization rate underscores the severity of complications arising from the current outbreak.
National guidance states that unvaccinated close contacts of a measles case including siblings and classmates should be told to self exclude during the risk period. It adds that headteachers may wish to consider excluding unvaccinated pupils who have been exposed because of the risk to other students.
Measles is one of the most infectious diseases in the world, capable of spreading to up to 18 unvaccinated people from a single case. While many associate the illness with a red rash, it typically begins with cold like symptoms before the rash appears.
In some cases, particularly among vulnerable children, complications can include pneumonia, blindness and other life threatening conditions. Measles weakens the immune system, making it hard for the body to fight off other germs according to health experts.
Common complications include ear infections and diarrhea. However more serious issues can happen such as pneumonia which is a severe lung infection that is the most common cause of measles deaths, and encephalitis which is swelling of the brain that can lead to seizures or permanent brain damage.
Health officials are urging families to ensure vaccinations are up to date. Dr Ash Banerjee, a public health consultant for NHS England in the Midlands, stated that half term offers a natural pause for families, which is a good opportunity to check whether vaccinations are up to date.
He added that with the new measles data, authorities want parents and carers to feel supported seeking advice about anything they are unsure of, including the new MMRV vaccine which extends protection to include measles, mumps, rubella and chickenpox. As of January 2026, the UK has updated its vaccination schedule with children now being offered the four in one MMRV vaccine.
Dr Vanessa Saliba of the UKHSA stated that infections can return quickly when childhood vaccine uptake falls, adding that measles elimination is only possible if all eligible children receive two MMRV doses before school. She emphasized that the latest data shows a big measles outbreak in north east London, mostly affecting unvaccinated children under 10 in schools and nurseries, with some being hospitalized.
Dr Saliba noted that measles is a nasty illness for any child but for some it can lead to long term complications and tragically death, but is so easily preventable with two doses of the MMRV vaccine. She urged that if children have missed any of their doses it is important to catch up as soon as possible, giving them vital protection against this highly contagious disease.
Sher-Arami expressed concern that the outbreak could escalate into a larger pan London crisis as people travel for work and school. She noted that average vaccination figures obscure pockets of very low uptake which create prime areas for measles to spread.
The director of public health stated that it is possible for the outbreak to grow, adding that stakeholders know that measles has got some very nasty complications including that it can cause deafness and brain damage. She warned that one in five children can need hospital treatment.
Cazimoglu warned that measles is approximately six times more infectious than COVID-19. She stated that catching the measles is entirely preventable but it spreads extremely quickly where vaccination levels are low, adding that by checking family vaccination status and taking up the free NHS vaccine, people are protecting not only themselves but also vulnerable members of the community.
In Enfield, more than one in five children are not fully vaccinated against measles, mumps and rubella by the age of five. Figures published last August by the UKHSA showed just 64.3 percent of five year olds in Enfield had received both doses of the MMR vaccine in 2024-25, one of the lowest rates in the country.
In response to the outbreak, temporary vaccination clinics have been set up in schools and community locations across Enfield to boost MMR uptake quickly. Sher-Arami is writing to every parent in the area to encourage vaccination and contain the disease.
UKHSA modeling suggests a large measles outbreak in London could infect between 40,000 and 160,000 people. Since the start of the year, England has recorded 96 confirmed measles cases, with three quarters affecting children under 10. Enfield has reported the highest numbers followed by Birmingham.
There is no specific treatment for measles, making vaccination the only effective prevention method. Despite the vaccine’s proven safety and efficacy, persistent misinformation linking it to autism, particularly on social media and within some minority ethnic communities, continues to contribute to vaccine hesitancy.
Measles spreads through coughs, sneezes and contaminated surfaces with early symptoms including high fever, runny nose, coughing and red watery eyes, followed by a blotchy red brown rash. The first symptoms usually appear about 10 days after a person is exposed.
The rash usually begins on the face and behind the ears before spreading down to the neck, body, arms and legs. If anyone thinks they have measles, they should not go straight to their GP surgery or accident and emergency (A&E) department as they could easily infect many other people in the waiting room.
Health authorities advise to call ahead by phoning the GP or calling 111, telling them measles is suspected. Individuals should stay home and keep children away from school, nursery or public places for at least four days after the rash first appears.
Dr Saliba also urged those traveling abroad over the Easter holidays to check their vaccination status because measles is widespread in some countries with close links to the UK and there are ongoing outbreaks in parts of Europe. Vaccination is not just about protecting individual children but also protects people who cannot get the vaccine including tiny babies too young for the shot, pregnant women and people with weakened immune systems.
Last July 2025, a child died from measles in Liverpool after a small outbreak. The case highlighted the deadly potential of measles when vaccination rates fall below levels needed for herd immunity.
