Research and analysis

Measles notifications and deaths in England and Wales: 1940 to 2023

Updated 12 September 2024

Applies to England and Wales

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This publication is available at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/measles-deaths-by-age-group-from-1980-to-2013-ons-data/measles-notifications-and-deaths-in-england-and-wales-1940-to-2013

Year Notifications Total Deaths Description
1940 409,521 857        
1941 409,715 1,145        
1942 286,341 458        
1943 376,104 773        
1944 158,479 243        
1945 446,796 729        
1946 160,402 204        
1947 393,787 644        
1948 399,606 327        
1949 385,935 307        
1950 367,725 221        
1951 616,182 317        
1952 389,502 141        
1953 545,050 242        
1954 146,995 45        
1955 693,803 174        
1956 160,556 28        
1957 633,678 94        
1958 259,308 49        
1959 539,524 98        
1960 159,364 31        
1961 763,531 152        
1962 184,895 39        
1963 601,255 127        
1964 306,801 73        
1965 502,209 115        
1966 343,642 80        
1967 460,407 99        
1968 236,154 51        
1969 142,111 36        
1970 307,408 42        
1971 135,241 28        
1972 145,916 29        
1973 152,578 33        
1974 109,636 20        
1975 143,072 16        
1976 55,502 14        
1977 173,361 23        
1978 124,067 20        
1979 77,363 17        
1980 139,487 26        
1981 52,979 15        
1982 94,195 13        
1983 103,700 16        
1984 62,079 10        
1985 97,408 11        
1986 82,054 10        
1987 42,158 6        
1988 86,001 16        
1989 26,222 3        
1990 13,302 1        
1991 9,680 1        
1992 10,268 2        
1993 9,612 4        
1994 16,375 0        
1995 7,447 1        
1996 5,614 0        
1997 3,962 3        
1998 3,728 3        
1999 2,438 3        
2000 2,378 1        
2001 2,250 1        
2002 3,232 1 [footnote 1]        
2003 2,488 0        
2004 2,356 1        
2005 2,089 0        
2006 3,705 1 1 death acute measles, child with underlying immunological problem      
2007 3,670 1 1 adult death late effect of measles      
2008 5,088 2 1 death acute measles, child with underlying immunological problem; 1 adult death late effect of measles      
2009 5,191 1 1 child death due to SSPE      
2010 2,235 0        
2011 2,355 1 1 adult death late effect of measles      
2012 4,211 1 1 adult death late effect of measles      
2013 6,193 1 1 death acute measles, adult      
2014 1,850 0        
2015 1,193 0        
2016 1,641 1 1 death acute measles, infant      
2017 1,693 1 1 adult death late effect of measles      
2018 2,557 3 2 child deaths from acute measles, one of whom with underlying immunological problem and 1 adult death, late effect of measles      
2019 806 5 1 child death due to SSPE, 1 adult death due to SSPE, 1 adult death due to acute measles encephalitis and 2 adults deaths late effect of measles      
2020 698 1 1 adult death, late effect of measles      
2021 360 2 2 adult deaths, late effect of measles      
2022 735 1 1 adult death from SSPE      
2023 1,619 3 2 adult deaths, late effect of measles. 1 child death from SSPE      

Data source

ONS deaths statistics

Inclusion criteria

data presented here include all deaths registered in England and Wales where measles infection was included as either the primary or contributing cause of death on the death certificate.

Interpretation

Measles infection can lead to death after a short acute illness, or can lead to complications with long term sequalae that may lead to death several years later and/or may be a contributing factor to an individual’s death alongside other underlying conditions.

From 2000 to date:

  1. There were 9 deaths in children or adults in England and Wales that could have been prevented by the UK national immunisation programme i.e. the infection was acquired in England or Wales and the individuals were eligible for a measles-containing vaccine in this country.

  2. There were 4 deaths reported that were due to measles infection acquired abroad  in non-UK born individuals (i.e. could not have been prevented by the UK immunisation programme).

  3. There were 11 deaths reported where measles infection was acquired before 1968 when the first measles containing vaccine was introduced.

  4. There was one death reported where at least one dose of the MMR vaccine was received. However, it remains uncertain whether the vaccine was administered prior to the acquisition of the disease.

  5. There were 2 reported deaths among individuals born before 1968 whose onset of infection and vaccination status are unknown. It is likely that these infections were acquired either before the introduction of the MMR vaccine or before high coverage could be achieved by the vaccination programme.

  1. Known not to be measles infection. ↩

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