An urgent appeal for parents to ensure their children have the measles, mumps and rubella jab has gone out, as the number of confirmed cases of measles rose to more than 500.

There is growing concern over the epidemic in South Wales following a 25 per cent jump in new cases reported over the Easter break. Children are most at risk of the potential killer.

Public Health Wales has warned that measles was spreading “at an alarming rate” and is concerned that take-up of the MMR vaccination is too slow, putting lives at risk.

Dr Marion Lyons, Public Health Wales director of health protection, warns that measles can leave unprotected children brain-damaged or dead.

“Measles cannot be taken lightly because you can never tell who will go on to develop the more serious complications of pneumonia or encephalitis (inflammation of the brain). MMR vaccination offers the only protection against these complications,” she said.

“Unfortunately some parents are continuing to put their children at unnecessary risk of catching this potentially serious disease. They need to get their children vaccinated without delay.

“A simple and safe jab from your GP will protect your child's health, could save their life, and will help protect other children too.”

One in ten children with measles ends up in hospital. It has become less common in the UK, but the number of cases here has risen in the past ten years.

The recent outbreak, in Swansea and surrounding areas, saw the numbers of people infected rise from just over 200 on March 4 to 432 by March 26.

Locally, figures remain low but, according to the Health Protection Agency, since the beginning of this year 11 cases of measles have been reported in Bradford and Airedale, three of which were laboratory confirmed.

While the latest figures for 2013 indicate there hasn’t been a rise in the district in comparison with last year, health experts say once measles begin to circulate in communities, the illness spreads very easily. They advise parents to check their children are up-to-date with MMR immunisations.

Shirley Brierley, public health consultant at NHS Airedale, Bradford and Leeds, says: “Parents can protect their children, and adults can protect themselves, against measles, mumps and rubella by ensuring they have been immunised with two doses of MMR. The MMR vaccine is the safest and most effective way of protecting children and young adults against what can be dangerous illnesses. There have been three confirmed cases of measles and 34 confirmed cases of mumps in Bradford and Airedale since the start of this year.”

She said in these areas, the uptake of MMR is good in young children.

“Parents recognise the importance of this vaccination, and more than 92 per cent of children have received their two MMR vaccinations before they reach their fifth birthday, but there are still ‘at risk’ groups with lower rates of MMR uptake, such as teenagers and young people, travellers and some pregnant women,” says Shirley.

“It is important that all parents check that their children have had two doses of the MMR vaccination – one dose doesn’t give full protection – if they are over three years and four months old.

“It is particularly important for teenagers to be protected fully as recent local and national cases of mumps and measles have been in teenagers. If adults aren’t sure if they themselves have been vaccinated or have previously had mumps or measles as a child, they can check with their GP for advice.

“Some pregnant women are found to have no immunity to measles/mumps or rubella and are advised to make sure they have the MMR vaccination after their baby has been born, to protect themselves as well as any other babies they may have.”

A spokesman for the agency says: “It’s important to be aware that we are not currently seeing an increase in cases of measles in Bradford. However, the current outbreaks being seen in other parts of the UK are a timely reminder for parents to check their child’s immunisation records are up to date.”

FACTFILE:

Measles spreads through coughing and sneezing. It takes about a week to ten days to become unwell after having contact with someone with measles.

Early symptoms include feeling like you have a bad cold, getting a fever and a dry cough. Sufferers may have red eyes or eyes which are sensitive to light.

A red-brown spotty rash can appear, which usually starts behind the ears then spreads around the head and neck before spreading over the rest of the body. The rash lasts up to eight days.

Sufferers are infectious from the day before they get the cold symptoms up until four full days after the measles rash appears.

For more information, visit nhs.uk.