
Measles hotspots mapped after child dies and UK 'redoubles efforts' to vaccinate
A new map has revealed the current epicenter of England's measles outbreak - as the government says the nation must 'redouble its efforts' to vaccinate more children after the death of a child.
Earlier this month it was revealed that a child, who was ill with measles and other health problems, had died at Alder Hey Children's Hospital in Liverpool. In a statement, Alder Hey said it was ' concerned about the increasing number of children and young people who are contracting measles'. Alder Hey said it had treated 17 children for effects and complications of measles since June. The case marks the second death linked to acute measles in Britain this decade, and has triggered concern from hospital bosses and public health officials.
Check measles cases and vaccination rates in your area using our interactive map below
After the latest death, Health Secretary Wes Streeting told Parliament that 'no child in this country should be dying of measles'. He said the tragedy showed 'we have got to redouble our efforts on vaccination'.
The measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) jab provides over 95% protection against getting ill. However vaccination rates have slumped across England. Not one council area in England has hit the target rate of getting 95% of children vaccinated, which the World Health Authority (WHO) says is necessary to achieve herd immunity, which stops illnesses from transmitting across the population.
In 22 council areas, the vaccination rate for the MMR jab has slipped below 75%. At the same time, cases of measles are rising. So far this year, 529 cases of measles have been confirmed by laboratory reports.
The majority were in children aged 10 and under, but measles has also been diagnosed in young people and adults. Hackney, in Central London, has the lowest vaccination rate in the country - and the second highest number of confirmed cases of measles so far in 2025.
The latest figures show that just three in five children had received both doses of the MMR jab by their fifth birthday (60.8%) in Hackney. As our map shows, there have been 46 lab-confirmed cases of measles in the central London borough so far in 2025.
Only one council area in England has seen more cases of measles so far this year, Bristol (47). Vaccination rates were much higher in Bristol, at 83%, but still well below the 95% target.
After Bristol and Hackney, Leeds (29 confirmed cases of measles), Salford (27), Birmingham (26), and Newham (24), have seen the highest number of cases. None of the 13 hotspot areas with at least 10 confirmed cases of measles so far this year have a vaccination rate above 90%.
Fewer than seven in 10 children (70%) are up to date with their MMR jabs in four of the areas with the biggest number of infections, and fewer than 80% in eight areas. Our map only shows areas with at least 10 confirmed cases of measles. This is because UKHSA suppresses case counts in areas with fewer than 10 cases.

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Daily Mail
2 hours ago
- Daily Mail
The TRUTH about resident doctors' pay and their eye-watering demands for up to £20,000 extra a year - ahead of 5-day NHS strike
Striking NHS doctors are wielding misleading statistics to justify their eye-watering pay demands, analysis suggests. In pursuit of salary hikes worth up to £20,000, resident doctors will bring hospitals to a standstill from Friday as they walkout for five consecutive days. Militant union bosses orchestrating the carnage claim the medics – previously known as junior doctors – need a rise worth in excess of 29 per cent to make up for 17 years of 'pay erosion'. This is on top of the average 28.9 per cent awarded to resident doctors over the last three years, including an inflation-busting hike this year of 5.4 per cent – the most generous in the public sector. British Medical Association (BMA) bosses argue this is not enough. Health Secretary Wes Streeting blasted the BMA's strike action, calling it 'shockingly irresponsible' and insisting he will not budge on pay. The Government claims the average full-time basic pay of a resident doctor now sits at £54,300. This is up from around £42,000 in 2022/23. If the BMA's demands are met, their average basic salary would exceed £70,000 per year. Compared with 2024/25 pay packets, this would give the most senior resident doctors an extra £20,000. Ministers are still seeking a deal to avert more strike chaos, which could see doctors have some of their student loan debt wiped off to appease them. Resident doctors have taken industrial action 11 times since initial negotiations began in 2022. Campaign materials pushed out by the BMA say pay erosion equates to 21 per cent below inflation since 2008/09. On its website, the union writes: 'Put another way, resident doctors are still working a fifth of their time for free.' However, this sum is calculated against the Retail Price Index (RPI) inflation measure. Tracking resident doctors' salary against the Consumer Price Index (CPI) instead, the Nuffield Trust found they are just 4.7 per cent below since 2008. Addressing this erosion would amount to an average lift of around five per cent. This would amount to an average pay boost of below £3,000. When measured against CPI levels since 2015/16, the Nuffield Trust revealed resident doctors have actually had a 7.9 per cent pay increase. Government sources have criticised the BMA's use of RPI in its calculations because it overstates inflation. It was, for this reason, the statistics watchdog downgraded RPI as an official national measure in 2013. Since then, CPI and CPIH (CPI including housing costs) have been the accepted standards for calculating inflation. MailOnline understands the Government will phase out its use by the end of the decade. Grilled about the pay of other NHS staff, Mr Streeting told MPs that cash is 'finite'. He said: 'These sorts of choices and trade-offs about resources are precisely why I asked BMA resident doctors to understand why, having received a 28.9 per cent pay rise from this government in the last year, they ought to remember the responsibility that I have, and they also have to some of their lower paid colleagues. 'Resources are finite, and it is important that I act in the interests of all NHS staff and have particular concern for those who work extremely hard but are not properly rewarded.' However, the BMA has defended its use of RPI, arguing it is a more accurate metric for everyday people. A BMA spokesperson said: 'RPI is a measure which we, in line with the wider trade union movement, believe best reflects the real life experience of working people in the UK, and which the Government continues to use when it suits. 'For one thing, RPI sets student loan repayments. In a country where new doctors often have student debts of over £100,000 this is a hefty chunk of their living costs. 'Car taxes and train fare caps are also set by RPI, making up a huge part of the costs of many doctors finding themselves with long commuting distances as they get moved around the country on rotations. 'These moves also mean the need to find housing, a cost which itself feeds back into the calculations of RPI and make it even more relevant to the life of a working doctor.' MailOnline analysis shows that basic full-time equivalent (FTE) pay packets for all but one group of resident doctors has risen over the past 15 years against CPIH. Just foundation year 2 (FY2) doctors have seen a pay erosion when looking at the figures this way. FY1, core training and speciality registrar doctors' salaries were 1.1, 6.5 and 1.7 per cent higher, respectively, in March 2025 than August 2010, when compared with CPIH inflation. Our calculations only include basic pay, so the approximate one-quarter of doctors' salaries which is additional pay – such as overtime and uplifts for unsocial hours – is not included. In September, BMA members voted to accept a Government pay deal worth 22.3 per cent on average over two years to end a swathe of strike action plaguing the previous Tory government. The 2025/26 pay deal saw resident doctors given a 4 per cent uplift plus £750 'on a consolidated basis'. This worked out as an average pay rise of 5.4 per cent, totalling 28.9 per cent over the three years. However, this did not prove enough to ward off further strike action, with BMA members overwhelmingly voting in favour of fresh action over the offer. Nearly 90 per cent of 30,000 doctors (55 per cent turnout) voted to walk out. A spokesperson for the Department for Health and Social Care told MailOnline: 'Resident doctors have seen the biggest pay rises in the public sector two years in a row thanks to this government, and a pay increase of 28.9 per cent across three years. 'Public support for resident doctors strikes has collapsed and the majority of BMA resident doctors did not even vote for these strikes.' Nuffield Trust researcher Lucina Rolewicz said: 'You can paint a very different picture of real-terms changes to resident doctors' pay packets over time, depending on the methods you use. 'It's important to look at a range of baseline years to get a more complete understanding of what has happened to pay. For example, if you look at what's changed since 2008, pay erosion appears much worse than if you looked at the changes since 2015 in isolation. 'Against the CPI measure of inflation, this can make the difference of showing a 4.7 per cent fall in pay since 2008 or a 7.9 per cent increase since 2015. 'Comparing changes to pay at the same point in time, using different measures of inflation, also results in very different answers. For instance, resident doctor pay has fallen by 4.7 per cent since 2008 against CPI, but has decreased by 17.9 per cent over the same period when using RPI. 'Given the importance of the debate for doctors, their colleagues, patients and taxpayers, it is crucial that we look at all the ways that pay can be seen to have changed.' It comes after a report yesterday warned the looming strikes could cause 250,000 appointments to be cancelled or postponed this month. The walkouts may also cost the NHS £87million in staffing cover, the Policy Exchange think-tank said. Charities have expressed their 'deep concern' at the action and warned it will cause 'significant distress, pain and worsening health for patients'. Consultants will be able to cash-in by charging hospitals inflated rates of up to £2,504 a shift to cover for absent junior colleagues, depleting them of funds that could have been used to buy new scanners, repair buildings or deliver more procedures. Resident doctors have qualified from medical school but remain in clinical training for up to eight years. They work under the supervision of senior doctors during their on-the-job experience. Previous strikes by junior doctors led to the deaths of at least five patients, an audit revealed last week. NHS leaders have warned even 'more lives could be put at risk' during next week's five-day full walkout.


Times
4 hours ago
- Times
How much do NHS doctors really earn? Here are the facts
Any British tourists unfortunate enough to be admitted to hospital in Australia will find themselves comforted by the sound of familiar accents. Thousands of doctors have fled the NHS for life down under in recent years, lured by the promise of better pay and year-round sunshine, meaning Brits outnumber Australian doctors on some wards. The British Medical Association has warned Wes Streeting that without action to improve pay and working conditions this exodus of doctors from the UK will continue. Last year a survey by the General Medical Council (GMC) found that more than one in ten NHS doctors were planning to move abroad in the next 12 months. Australia is by far the most popular destination, favoured by half, followed by Canada, New Zealand and the United Arab Emirates. • Who is on the BMA committee behind junior doctors' strike? While they will definitely get more sunshine, can resident doctors — formerly known as junior doctors — really expect to earn more if they leave the NHS for the other side of the world? According to BMA figures, a resident doctor in the NHS who is fresh out of medical school earns a base salary of £36,616. With overtime and on-call shifts, this rises to about £45,000. Doctors earn more the greater their experience: a second-year doctor starts on a salary of £42,008, while resident doctors with several years' experience earn £70,425 — again, topped up by evenings and weekends. A first-year doctor in Australia earns about £47,530, according to the BMA's calculations. The most highly qualified resident doctors in Australia earn £83,532 — 23 per cent higher than they could earn in the NHS. • Loosening strike rules could cause havoc for employers However, while English doctors are worse off in take-home pay than Australians, those working in the NHS have much more generous pensions. Doctors receive a 23.7 per cent pension contribution from the NHS. They are among the few workers who still have salary-linked defined benefit pensions, which pay a guaranteed and inflation-proof income. These pensions are often worth about 75 per cent of doctors' salaries in retirement. Someone who started as a foundation doctor (their first year of training after medical school) eight years ago, when the basic salary was £27,146, will have already built up a guaranteed annual pension income of £8,084, according to the wealth manager Quilter, which is significantly more generous than private sector equivalents. Medicine is a career path where you can quickly progress onto a higher salary. After going through specialty training — which takes about six years — and qualifying as a consultant, doctors earn a basic salary starting at £109,725. The latest NHS figures show the average consultant in the NHS earns £145,000 a year. • Why furious health bosses are braced for painful battle with BMA If doctors opt to become a GP, they earn an average of £140,200 as a GP partner, and £69,200 as a salaried GP. The Nuffield Trust shows that progression means doctors' pay rapidly escalates, despite real-terms cuts in base salaries. A report by the think tank said: 'The trend in average salaries for resident doctors does not reflect the experience of individuals, whose pay will also typically benefit from career progression. 'As a way to demonstrate this, if a newly qualified first-year foundation doctor in 2017 (with a starting salary of £26,614) continued straight through to core/specialty training then their pay would have nearly doubled to £50,017 within four years, representing a 75 per cent real-terms increase. Within eight years, by 2025, their basic salary could have been over four times higher (£109,725), or more than doubled (211 per cent) in real terms.' Senior doctors are among the best paid workers in Britain. 'Specialty registrars' average NHS earnings were higher than the salaries of nearly nine in ten of the wider workforce, while GP partner and consultants' NHS earnings sat between the 98th and 99th percentiles,' the Nuffield Trust report said. However, the BMA argues that consultant pay on the NHS is still significantly below other countries, including the Republic of Ireland, meaning consultants are moving abroad for better pay.


The Sun
7 hours ago
- The Sun
Tesco is giving away free food during summer holidays to Clubcard members
TESCO is giving away free fruit and healthy food discounts to Clubcard members this summer. Clubcard holders can also bag personalised discounts on fruit and veg to help make healthier choices without breaking the bank. 3 3 Children can grab free fruit at Tesco checkouts from August 4 to 17 while shopping with their families. The move follows regional consultations carried out by Tesco and the British Nutrition Foundation. These found that many families struggle with issues like food inspiration, cooking confidence, and access to affordable healthy options. Tesco's new campaign launches today and is expected to reach millions of shoppers across the country, including those in cities such as Manchester, Birmingham, Cardiff and Glasgow. Around 2.5 million Clubcard holders will be invited to take part in the scheme, which includes earning stamps on purchases of fresh fruit and veg. These stamps can be swapped for Clubcard points and vouchers, helping families cut costs while making healthier choices. There will also be bonus Clubcard points up for grabs through new Challenges focused on frozen fruit and veg, beans and pulses. It's designed to make healthy eating more rewarding – and more fun. On top of that, Tesco is introducing new Clubcard Prices and offers on healthy snacks and lunchbox fillers, giving families more ways to save during the break. Nationwide £100 Bonus, Tesco Clubcard Voucher Deadline, and EDF Free Energy Returns – Money News Today Tesco's website is also being updated, with a revamped '5-a-day' hub offering easy recipes, snack ideas and tips for getting more fruit and veg into everyday meals. The supermarket giant expects to hand out over 3.5 million apples over the two-week period. It builds on its Stronger Starts Fruit & Veg for Schools programme, which already supports children's access to fruit and veg during term time. Ashwin Prasad, Tesco's UK CEO, said: 'We understand that for many, there are barriers that make healthy eating feel hard. "We want to help our customers make small changes that amount to big health benefits for themselves and their families. "That's why we're setting out to make healthy choices easier every day, starting with new offers and support for families in store this summer.' Health and Social Care Secretary Wes Streeting also welcomed the initiative. 'Obesity has doubled since the 1990s and costs our NHS £11 billion a year,' he said. 'I'm grateful to Tesco for picking up the mantle and helping tackle this crisis by making it easier and more affordable for families and kids to eat fresh fruit and veg.' Government figures show that fewer than 1 in 10 children and just 1 in 5 adults in the UK manage to eat the recommended five portions of fruit and vegetables a day. Tesco hopes that this latest push will support families during the cost-of-living crisis and encourage healthier habits over the summer, without adding extra pressure to parents' pockets. The campaign will run in stores and online, with promotions expected to be especially popular as families look for affordable ways to keep kids happy and healthy over the six-week break. How to save money at Tesco There are plenty of ways to save at the UK's biggest supermarket. For example, Tesco Clubcard is a free loyalty program that allows members to earn points for money off shopping at Tesco. You earn one point for each £1 spent and each point is then worth 1p. Once you've earned 150 points, equivalent to spending £150, you receive a voucher worth £1.50. This voucher can then be used to get money off a shop in your local Tesco store or online, or with Tesco's rewards partners. How does the Tesco Clubcard scheme work? TESCO'S Clubcard scheme allows shoppers to earn points as they shop, these points can then be turned into vouchers for money off food or other reward partner schemes. schemes. When you spend £1 in-store or online, you get one point when you scan your card or app. Drivers using Clubcards now get one point for every two litres spent on fuel. One point equals 1p, so 150 points gets you £1.50, for example. You'll need a minimum of 150 points to request a voucher. These vouchers can either be worth the face value to spend in-store at Tesco, or you can double their worth to spend at reward partners, including restaurants, and on days out. Loyalty card holders can also get cheaper prices on over 8,000 items thanks to Clubcard Prices. These Clubcard prices save the average member £351 on their annual shop, according to Tesco 3