Multiple children are currently receiving treatment for measles at Alder Hey Children's Hospital in Liverpool, with several youngsters in serious condition.
The specialist paediatric hospital has issued an urgent warning about rising measles cases across Merseyside, directly linking the outbreak to falling vaccination rates.
In a letter posted on social media, the hospital confirmed that "several children are seriously unwell and receiving treatment at Alder Hey Children's Hospital".
The outbreak has prompted renewed concerns about the spread of the highly contagious virus amongst unvaccinated children in the region.
Several children are receiving treatment at Alder Hey Children's Hospital
NHS
Hospital officials have attributed the surge in cases to declining uptake of the MMR vaccine, which provides protection against measles, mumps and rubella.
The hospital stated: "A recent increase in measles cases in Merseyside is putting children and young people at risk within our communities and our hospital."
Medical staff warned that youngsters already hospitalised for other conditions face a heightened risk of contracting the virus.
The hospital emphasised that measles remains one of the most infectious diseases globally, with up to 90 per cent of unprotected individuals likely to contract it following exposure to an infected person.
"Measles is on the rise amongst our children. We can all help stop it. Get vaccinated now," the hospital urged.
The virus spreads through coughs and sneezes, particularly affecting young children, those who are unvaccinated, or individuals who have received only one MMR dose rather than the recommended two.
Initial symptoms include a runny nose, red rash, tiredness, sore red eyes, fever and small greyish white spots in the mouth.
Whilst most patients recover within a week, measles can trigger severe complications including pneumonia, seizures, meningitis, encephalitis and blindness when the infection spreads to the lungs.
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Officials have attributed the surge in cases to declining uptake of the MMR vaccine
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In rare instances, the virus can cause subacute sclerosing panencephalitis (SSPE), a fatal brain disorder that may develop years or even decades after the initial infection.
The UK Health Security Agency declared a national incident in January 2024, warning that MMR vaccination rates had fallen to their lowest point in over a decade.
Current data reveals that 15 per cent of five-year-olds across the UK have not received both recommended doses of the vaccine, with some communities recording significantly lower coverage rates.
Population coverage for two doses remains below the crucial 95 per cent threshold required to prevent measles transmission.
A national catch-up campaign for MMR vaccinations was launched in November last year and intensified in subsequent months to address the shortfall.
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