National health chiefs are working on trying to prevent a potentially deadly outbreak of measles in Bristol, after the city and the West Country region as a whole has become England’s hotspot for the disease.
Parents are being urged to check whether their children are up to date with their vaccinations, amid fears that a rise in measles cases in Bristol, coupled with the city having the lowest vaccination take up in the south west, could lead to an outbreak.
Bristol and the West Country right now has the highest number of measles cases in the whole of the country – and health chiefs are warning vaccination rates against the potentially deadly disease are too low in Bristol
The warning comes as Sunday night BBC drama Call The Midwife, which has now reached 1970 in its retelling of the story of a group of midwives and health workers in east London, featured the impact of measles on a young boy left disabled and unable to speak – with his mother urging other young mums to get the new measles vaccination.
New figures released by the UK Health Security Agency show why health chiefs in 2025 are worried too. There have been 115 laboratory-confirmed measles cases across the whole south west since January 1 last year, in a population of around four million people. But 57 of them, around half, were in Bristol, which has a population of around half a million.
And measles is on the increase this winter, too. There were 30 new cases in the south west in the four weeks from December 16 to January 13 – which accounts for almost half the new cases of measles in the entire country, and is the highest in England.
The UKHSA South West team said it is now working with local authority and NHS partners to manage the response to these cases. While measles cases have been declining overall across the country in recent months, the region has seen a rise in cases. Most cases have been seen in children and young people, particularly in unvaccinated individuals.
In Bristol in 2024 and 2025, the proportion of parents getting their young children vaccinated with the MMR vaccine that protects against measles has dropped, is below the national average and is the lowest in the south west.
“Vaccination is a safe and effective way to stop the spread of measles and protect those most vulnerable to infection,” a spokesperson said. “Two doses of the MMR vaccines offers the best and safest protection against measles.
“MMR vaccination rate for two doses across the south west is lower than 90 per cent, and even a small drop in vaccine uptake below the World Health Organisation target of 95 per cent can lead to outbreaks. The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) South West is urging parents to check that their children are up to date with their MMR vaccinations,” she added.
Vaccination rates in Bristol are below the national average for two-year-olds and the lowest in the south west generally. The latest figures show a snapshot between July and September last year, and reveal that only 88.3 per cent of two year olds had their first MMR vaccine – which equates to one in nine toddlers that have not been vaccinated in Bristol.
The figures are even worse for five-year-olds. In the same period last year, a snapshot of five-year-olds who are supposed to have had two doses of the MMR jab by then, showed only 85.1 per cent had – meaning 14.9 per cent, or more than one-in-seven, had not been fully vaccinated.
The results could be serious, health chiefs have warned. “Measles has been circulating across the country over the last 12 months, with 115 laboratory confirmed measles cases in the South West since 1 January 2024, the majority of which were confirmed in November and December of 2024, and this more rapid rise in cases within the region is concerning,” said Dr Alasdair Wood, the UKHA South West’s Consultant in Health Protection.
“Measles is highly infectious, and it can cause serious disease or even death in some rare cases. If you suspect that you or a family member has measles, it is important that you seek medical advice and stay away from schools, large gatherings and workplaces while infectious. People are infectious from four full days before and until four full days after the rash appears.
“Those at the highest risk of severe infection include pregnant women, children under one year old and immunocompromised individuals. We all have a responsibility to help protect these groups by getting vaccinated and reducing the spread of the infection.
“It’s never too late to have the vaccine, so if you’ve not received two doses of the vaccine in the past – or you’re unsure – speak to your GP. There’s no harm in receiving an additional dose where there is any uncertainty.
“The MMR vaccine is safe and by far the most effective way to protect yourself and those around you. We are asking everyone to remain alert to the symptoms of measles, which can include cold-like symptoms, sore red eyes, a high temperature or a red-brown blotchy rash.
“If you experience these symptoms, seek medical attention, but please ensure that you phone ahead before visiting a healthcare setting, such as your GP surgery, so that arrangements can be made to prevent others from being infected,” he added.