Parents have been urged to ensure their children are up to date with vaccinations following reports that a child has died of measles in Liverpool. The youngster was said to have been receiving treatment at Alder Hey Children’s hospital and it thought to be the second to succumb to an acute measles infection in Britain this decade.

Measles is caused by a virus that spreads very easily. Cold-like symptoms are usually the first sign, followed by a rash a few days later. Here’s what to do if you notice any of the telltale signs.

The first symptoms of a measles infection typically resemble a cold, according to the NHS website. These include a high temperature, runny or blocked nose, sneezing, a cough, and red, sore or watery eyes.

Sufferers may develop small white spots inside the cheeks and on the back of the lips a few days later, which usually linger for a few days.

One of the most distinctive symptoms of measles is a rash that starts on the face and behind the ears before spreading to the rest of the body.  The spots are sometimes raised and join together to form blotchy patches, but they are not usually itchy.

The NHS advises that people should seek an urgent GP appointment or contact NHS 111 if they think they or their child might have measles.

This is particularly important if your child is under one year old and has come into contact with someone who has measles, you are pregnant or have a weakened immune system, or in the event of a high temperature that has not come down after taking ibuprofen.

Measles can spread easily so patients are advised to call their GP surgery before turning up.

You should seek more urgent help by calling 999 or going to A&E if you or your child has measles and suffers a seizure, has severe difficulty breathing, cannot stay awake, is suddenly confused, becomes limp of floppy, has a rash that does not fade when a glass is pressed against it, has a stiff neck, or is finding light uncomfortable or painful.

How is measles treated?

In most cases, measles starts to get better in around a week. Resting and drinking plenty of fluids can aid recovery. Patients may take paracetamol or ibuprofen for a high temperature.

Cotton wool soaked in warm water can be used to gently remove any crust from the patient’s eyes.

In more serious cases, patients may need supportive care in hospital. There is no specific treatment for measles itself, but this may include vitamin A supplementation and antibiotics to treat any secondary infections.

Low vaccination rates have been blamed for higher levels of measles circulating, leading to more children contracting the virus.

Professor Helen Bedford, an expert in children’s health at UCL, said the outbreaks were “hugely concerning but not at all surprising”.

She added: “To stop outbreaks of this highly infectious disease we need to have sustained 95% uptake of two doses of the measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine, but uptake has been lower than this for some years.”

Just 84% of five-year-old children in England have had the two necessary doses of the MMR jab, with uptake “much lower” in areas like Liverpool and parts of London, Prof Bedford said.

To vaccinologist Professor Sir Andrew Pollard, director of the Oxford Vaccine Group, said measles was “a serious disease associated with life-threatening complications but the virus can be eliminated”. 

He added: “Indeed, the UK did achieve elimination status from the World Health Organisation, but sadly lost this badge of honour in 2019. Unless vaccination rates get above 95%, prolonged and recurrent outbreaks can be expected and further loss of precious young lives will occur.  MMR is available from the GP surgery and, if used, will effortlessly save lives.”

None of the routine childhood vaccinations have met the target for 95% coverage since 2021, meaning youngsters are at risk of catching illnesses such as measles, meningitis and whooping cough.