A child has died from measles after receiving intensive care treatment at Alder Hey Children’s Hospital in Liverpool, marking what is believed to be only the second child death from the disease in the UK in a decade.
The unidentified child, who had been suffering from measles alongside other serious health problems, died despite receiving specialist treatment at the renowned children’s hospital, The Sunday Times reported on Sunday. The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) confirmed this represents one of only four child deaths from acute measles in England and Wales over the past decade.
Professor Matt Ashton, Liverpool’s director of public health, issued a stark warning about the potential for rapid disease spread. “I’m extremely worried that the potential is there for measles to really grab hold in our community,” he said. “My concern is the unprotected population and it spreading like wildfire.”
The death comes as Alder Hey Children’s Hospital has seen a significant surge in measles cases, with 17 children requiring hospital treatment since June. Medical professionals across Merseyside had recently written an open letter to parents and carers, urging them to ensure their children receive the MMR (measles, mumps and rubella) vaccine.
An Alder Hey Children’s NHS Foundation Trust spokesperson said: “To respect patient confidentiality, we can’t comment on individual cases. We are concerned about the increasing number of children and young people who are contracting measles.”
The hospital emphasised that measles is “a highly contagious viral illness which can cause children to be seriously unwell, requiring hospital treatment, and in rare cases, death.” The trust noted that many patients have compromised immunity due to other health conditions, making them particularly susceptible to infections including measles.
Chief nurse Nathan Askew attributed the spike in cases to misunderstandings about vaccine safety. “This vaccine’s been in use for well over 50 years. It’s very safe, tried and tested,” he stated.
The tragic death follows that of 10-year-old Renae Archer from Salford, Greater Manchester, who died in September 2023 from complications related to measles she contracted as an infant. Renae developed subacute sclerosing panencephalitis (SSPE), a rare but fatal brain disease that can occur years after measles infection.
Rebecca Archer, Renae’s mother, has become a vocal advocate for vaccination. “If there wasn’t an outbreak and more kids had their vaccinations, then she wouldn’t have got the measles in the first place,” she said.
England has experienced a dramatic rise in measles cases, with 2,911 laboratory-confirmed cases recorded in 2024 – the highest annual figure since 2012. The current year has already seen 529 confirmed cases as of early July 2025, with 68 per cent occurring in children aged 10 and under.
The resurgence has been linked to declining vaccination rates. None of the routine childhood vaccinations have met the World Health Organisation’s target of 95 per cent coverage since 2021, leaving youngsters vulnerable to preventable diseases. Current MMR coverage in the UK stands at approximately 85 per cent, well below the threshold needed to prevent outbreaks.
Professor Helen Bedford, head of children’s health at University College London, described the situation as “hugely concerning, but not at all surprising.” She emphasised the need for “sustained 95% uptake” of two MMR doses to prevent outbreaks of the highly infectious disease.
A Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health report released this month found that vaccine uptake has stalled over the past decade and is declining in many cases. The report identified multiple barriers to vaccination, including difficulties booking appointments and lack of continuity in NHS care.
Dr Alexis Robert, an assistant professor at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, explained the severity of the situation: “The measles virus is one of the world’s most infectious respiratory pathogens and can cause life-long disability or death. Because measles is so infectious, about 95% of the population need to receive a full course of vaccination to mitigate the risk of outbreaks.”
Medical experts stress that two doses of the MMR vaccine provide 97 per cent protection against measles. The vaccine is typically administered at 12 months and again at three years and four months, though older children and adults can receive it if they missed earlier vaccinations.
Measles symptoms include high fever, coughing, aching, general malaise and a characteristic rash. Complications can include blindness, deafness, pneumonia, meningitis and brain damage. One in five children with measles requires hospitalisation, and approximately one in 15 develops serious complications.
The Alder Hey trust urged parents to protect vulnerable children by ensuring vaccinations are up to date. “We can prevent people, including children, from contracting measles through vaccination. Please protect yourself and vulnerable children and young people by ensuring you are fully vaccinated,” the statement read.
Health officials continue to monitor the situation closely as concerns grow about the disease’s potential to spread rapidly through unprotected populations across the UK.
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Image Credit:
Morbillivirus measles infection – Image by CDC/Dr. Edwin P. Ewing, Jr., public domain via Wikimedia Commons.
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