A Victorian disease that had been eliminated in the UK has returned in 50 council areas – and a new map highlights the low-vaccination areas where it is spreading quickly, which the Government agency blames on falling vaccination rates.

An alarming resurgence of a once-eradicated Victorian-era disease is sweeping across 50 council areas in the UK. A newly released map reveals that regions with lower vaccination rates are particularly susceptible to the spread, a trend attributed to declining vaccination uptake, according to a government agency.

The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has reported confirmed cases of measles, verified through laboratory tests, in every region of England. The majority of these cases involve children under the age of 10, with one area in London emerging as the epicenter of this outbreak.

Enfield, situated in North London, has reported 80 confirmed measles cases this year, 35 of which have emerged since February. The borough is notable for having one of the country’s lowest vaccination rates, with a third of its children lacking protection from the MMR vaccine, which guards against measles, mumps, and rubella.

Current data reveals that only 64.3% of children in Enfield have received both doses of the MMR vaccine by the age of five, far below the 95% target needed to ensure widespread immunity.

An interactive map is available for the public to check local vaccination rates and track the number of confirmed measles cases since 2024. The UKHSA has disclosed that at least 50 different council areas have reported a minimum of one confirmed case, though the agency only releases numbers for regions with ten or more cases.

So far, three council areas have met that threshold – all with low vaccine coverage rates. Apart from Enfield, there have been 43 cases so far in Birmingham, including 19 since February, and 15 in the London borough of Haringey, which neighbours Enfield.

The UK was first declared measles-free in 2017, though it lost its status two years later, before regaining it in 2021 due to social distancing required during the pandemic. Outbreaks then began in 2023, with it intensifying through 2024, which saw 2,911 laboratory-confirmed cases – the highest number since 2012.

The most recent figures show that measles cases have fallen since the 2024 peak. However, cases remain high. Last year, there were 957 laboratory-confirmed cases of measles. As of March 9 this year, there have been 235 cases, most affecting children under 10.

According to UKHSA, the uptake of the MMR jab slumped to its lowest in a decade, which the agency has claimed is the reason for the resurgence of the infection. This year also saw the MMR jab replaced by the MMRV vaccine, which offers the same protection as MMR but also covers chickenpox.

As of last summer, 91.8% of five-year-olds in England had received one dose of the MMR jab, and 83.7% were protected by both doses. In many areas, such as Enfield, Birmingham and Haringey, vaccine uptake is much lower.

WHO says a vaccine coverage rate of 95% is needed to achieve “herd immunity”, which prevents transmissible diseases like measles from circulating.