Measles Warning

NHS Brent, Brent Council and the Health Protection Agency have teamed up to roll out a borough-wide awareness campaign to highlight the worrying fact that measles is spreading in the borough.

Brent has the highest level of confirmed measles cases in the North West London. From January to September 2008 a total of 87 cases within the eight boroughs of the North West London sector were confirmed. Forty five of these children were from Brent.

Low levels of immunisation uptake over the last decade have led to a significant increase in the number of children who are not protected against measles. The more children that are not protected, the more rapidly measles will spread.

Dollis Hill, Harlesden, Kensal Green and Willesden Green had the highest number of cases for this totally preventable disease in Brent. A report on this year's measles cases also found that the Eastern European, Somali, and Afro Caribbean communities were worse affected.

About one in every 15 children with measles will develop more serious complications. These can include diarrhoea, pneumonia, fits, encephalitis (infection of the brain, and brain damage). In some cases measles can kill.

The safest way to protect children against measles is by getting two doses of the MMR vaccine, available at all GPs throughout the borough.

Dr Deepti Kumar, Consultant in communicable disease control from the North West London Health Protection Unit said: "Measles is a very serious infection as it can lead to pneumonia and encephalitis. It is not possible to tell who will be seriously affected by measles. This is why it's incredibly important to continue to remind parents about the benefits of having their child vaccinated with two doses of MMR for optimum protection. It is never too late to get vaccinated."

A series of posters, leaflets and adverts will be hitting the streets of Brent during this six week campaign which started on Monday November 3.