Measles outbreak in North London
Source: The Guardian, 15 February 2026
A measles outbreak in north London has infected more than 60 children, with cases linked to seven schools and a nursery in Enfield. Several children have required hospital treatment, and local health services report that all hospitalised cases involved children who were not fully immunised.
The outbreak is occurring against a backdrop of persistently low MMR vaccination uptake in the capital. In Enfield, only 64.3% of five‑year‑olds had received both MMR doses in 2024–25—one of the lowest rates nationally—leaving many children vulnerable to infection. Public health officials warn that measles can spread rapidly, with one unvaccinated person capable of infecting up to 18 others.
Enfield’s Director of Public Health has written to all parents, citing the risk of a wider pan‑London outbreak due to population movement. Temporary vaccination clinics have been set up in schools and community settings to boost uptake.
Nationally, falling immunisation rates have contributed to rising measles cases and the UK losing its WHO elimination status.