LONDON, April 20 (Xinhua) -- A measles alert was issued here Friday as British health officials revealed there have been more cases in the British capital so far this year than for the whole of 2017.
They blamed the rise of measles cases on trips to and from the European continent.
There have been more than 250 cases reported since the start of the year, with at least 90 confirmed after laboratory tests.
A total of 243 cases were reported last year.
Public Health England urged parents and young adults to vaccinate against the highly infectious viral illness, which can lead to serious complications and even death.
British health officials suspect the rise is being driven by unvaccinated adults travelling to and from the European continent, where there have been reported outbreaks in a number of countries.
Dr. Yvonne Doyle, who is London regional director for Public Health England, said, "We are seeing a concerning increase in measles cases across London which could lead to a wider outbreak in unvaccinated children and adults."
"Those who have not received two doses of the vaccine in the past -- or who are unsure -- should speak to their GP (general practitioners)," he said. There's no harm in receiving an additional dose.
"It's crucial pregnant women have been vaccinated with MMR (measles, mumps, and rubella) in particular can cause serious complications during pregnancy."
While MMR vaccine uptake in London is good for the first dose -- 91 percent by the age of five -- it falls to 77 percent for the second dose -- the lowest anywhere in the country.
MMR is a safe and effective combined vaccine that protects against three separate illnesses in a single injection. The full course of MMR vaccination requires two doses.
Measles is a highly contagious infectious disease. Signs include cold-like symptoms, sore red eyes, a high temperature or a red-brown blotchy rash.
Europe has seen a big surge in measles cases in 2017, which the World Health Organization (WHO) said in February 2018 was a tragedy after a record low of 5,273 cases in 2016.
Cases increased four-fold, with more than 20,000 people affected and 35 deaths.
