Measles claims young life in Liverpool: What are the symptoms of the infection and how it spreads

A child in Liverpool has died after contracting measles, according to a report by The Sunday Times. The child, who had measles along with other health complications, was receiving care at Alder Hey Children’s Hospital.In a statement, Alder Hey Children’s NHS Foundation Trust said: “To respect patient confidentiality, we can’t comment on individual cases. We are concerned about the increasing number of children and young people who are contracting measles. Measles is a highly contagious viral illness which can cause children to be seriously unwell, requiring hospital treatment, and in rare cases, death.”The Trust also noted a rise in the number of children being treated at Alder Hey for measles-related complications.

According to reports, the hospital has managed 17 such cases since June. The child is believed to be the second to succumb to an acute measles infection in Britain this decade.

In an open letter to parents and carers in Merseyside earlier this month, Alder Hey, along with the UK Health and Security Agency (UKHSA) and directors of Public Health for Liverpool, Sefton, and Knowsley, warned that the increase in measles in the region could be down to fewer people getting vaccinated.

The letter read: "We are seeing more cases of measles in our children and young people because fewer people are having the MMR vaccine, which protects against measles and two other viruses called mumps and rubella. Children in hospital, who are very poorly for another reason, are at higher risk of catching the virus."This aligns with the report released by the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health (RCPCH), which stated that people have stalled the uptake of the vaccine and, in some cases, are declining too.

None of the childhood vaccines have met the 95% coverage target since 2021, putting children at direct risk from diseases like measles, meningitis and whooping cough. Since January 2025, up until 23 Jun 2025, there have been a total of 529 cases.

How measles spreads

The measles virus (genus Morbillivirus) causes measles. It’s an airborne disease, which means it spreads through the air when an infected person breathes, coughs, sneezes, or talks.

These droplets can be inhaled by others or land on surfaces, which can then be transferred to the mouth, nose, or eyes. Humans are the only known host of the measles virus.

What are the symptoms of measles?

The preliminary symptoms of measles include: high body temperatures, runny or blocked nose, barky cough, red spots with white centers in your mouth (Koplik’s spots), and red, sore, or watery eyes. Cold-like symptoms are followed a few days later by a rash, which starts on the face and behind the ears, before it spreads. The spots are usually raised and can join together to form blotchy patches, which are not usually itchy. Some people may get small spots in their mouth, too. People with measles also face digestive symptoms like diarrhea, stomach pain and vomiting.