In 2008 there were 1,348 cases, compared with 990 for the previous year,the Health Protection Agency statistics revealed. The dramatic increasehas been blamed on the low take-up of the MMR jab and has raised fearsof an epidemic.
Dr Mary Ramsay, an immunisation expert at the Health Protection Agency,said, 'The year-on-year increase of measles across England and Wales isvery worrying. Last year saw the highest number of cases since thecurrent method of monitoring the disease was introduced in 1995. What isso alarming is that the majority of these cases could have beenprevented, as most were in children who were not fully protected withMMR.
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