UK loses its measles elimination status

Source: BMJ, 27 Jan 2026

The UK has lost its measles elimination status after the virus circulated without interruption for more than a year.

Measles outbreaks that began in late 2023 grew throughout 2024, with 2,911 laboratory‑confirmed cases reported in England during 2024—the highest annual total since 2012, according to the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA).

Using the 2024 figures, both the World Health Organization (WHO) and the UKHSA concluded that endemic transmission had resumed, resulting in the UK once again losing its measles elimination status. This is the second time in a decade that measles has become re‑established in the country.