MORE than 80 measles cases have been reported in Lancashire so far this year – compared to just six in the whole of 2011.
The Health Protection Agency said it was unable to break the figure down for each district, but a recent outbreak in Morecambe was thought to account for at least 35 cases.
There were 94 confirmed cases in Lancashire in 2012, with 84 so far this year.
Kate Brierley, a consultant nurse at the Cumbria and Lancashire Health Protection Unit, said: “There’s a lot of measles around at present.
“There were just two confirmed cases of measles in the Lancashire area during the first three months of 2012, yet we are aware of 84 confirmed cases in the same area and same time period for 2013. That is a significant increase.
“Measles can be extremely unpleasant. In rare cases, people die. However, it is an avoidable illness and the best defence against it is MMR vaccine. We are advising parents to ensure children are up-to-date.”
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