Parents are being urged to ensure children are fully vaccinated against measles ahead of any overseas travel this summer as the number of cases continues to climb in Europe and the US.
A child in Liverpool, northern England recently died from the disease, as the UK battles with plummeting vaccination rates.
National uptake of the measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine has dropped to about 84 per cent since 2015 in the UK − well below the recommended level of 95 per cent to ensure adequate herd immunity and protect vulnerable groups.
It is a similar trend in the US, where measles cases have climbed to their highest level for 30 years.
According to the US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, there were 1,288 confirmed cases of measles on July 9, including one adult and two infant deaths.
The highly infectious disease was eliminated from the US in 2000 but has undergone a resurgence due to rising vaccine hesitancy and misinformation circulating online relating to safety.
Meanwhile, in Europe, measles cases have soared to their highest levels since 1997.
Outbreaks have been reported this year in popular summer destinations in France, Italy, Spain and Germany. Doctors are urging UAE families to check their vaccination schedules are up to date before overseas travel.
Dr Grace Nehme, a consultant in paediatric haematology and oncology medicine at Clemenceau Medical Centre Hospital in Dubai, said while most children have been vaccinated, some parents remain hesitant.
“In Dubai, hesitancy is less than elsewhere but still some patients are refusing despite all the counselling,” she said. “We do everything possible and they are still refusing to vaccinate but this is not more than maybe 2 per cent-3 per cent of the population.
"For parents of children not yet of age to be vaccinated, usually at one year of age, travelling to an endemic area or an area with an outbreak, we can give the vaccine at nine months.
“But for very small children below that age, parents will have to take extra precautions.”
Symptoms to spot
Typical symptoms include high fever, cough, runny nose and red, watery eyes.
Children often also have a rash that starts on the face and spreads down the body, or tiny white spots inside the mouth.
“Young children travelling with parents this summer, who are not vaccinated, should avoid being around any sick children, especially anyone with fever and rash,” said Dr Nehme.
“They should avoid very crowded areas, which is difficult when you're a tourist and you want to visit all the nice places.
“But if you have a small baby, try to avoid peak times when there are a lot of people. Every time a family travels, children can get sick pretty quickly because they're building their immunity. But for the vaccinated kids, you're not that worried.”
Europe reported 127,350 cases of measles in 2024, double the number of incidents reported to the World Health Organisation the previous year.
Rising cases have also been reported elsewhere in Nigeria, Indonesia, Pakistan, India and Thailand.
“Summer is a great time for families to travel and it’s also a good opportunity to make sure children are up to date on their vaccinations,” said Dr Shruthi Punnapu, a specialist paediatrician at Medcare Women & Children Hospital.
“Before heading out, parents are encouraged to check in with their child’s doctor or local health clinic to review the vaccination schedule.
“Most clinics can provide guidance quickly and many vaccines can be given on an accelerated schedule if travel is coming up soon.
“If travelling to areas where there have been recent outbreak of measles in parts of Europe or whooping cough in the US, extra precautions may be recommended.”
Vaccine catch-up
In recent years, some children have fallen behind on routine vaccines. This can happen for many reasons, from changes in schedules or health coverage to delays during the pandemic.
“The good news is that it’s never too late to catch up which helps ensure children are ready not just for travel, but also for school and other activities where illnesses can spread more easily,” said Dr Punnapu. “It’s a simple but powerful way to protect their health and keep everyone safer.”
Vaccinations are one of humanity's greatest success stories in public health over the past century.
Researchers at the Burnet Institute, in collaboration with Gavi the Vaccine Alliance, found emergency vaccinations against measles, cholera, Ebola, meningitis and yellow fever had reduced the number of deaths by almost 60 per cent between 2000 and 2023.
That global response also generated more than $32 billion in economic benefits and prevented further outbreaks of disease, the institute’s study on global health security found.
Research published in the British Medical Journal of Global Health evaluated 210 outbreaks of five infectious diseases – cholera, Ebola, measles, meningitis and yellow fever – in 49 lower-income countries between 2000 and 2023.
Experts said the findings highlighted the value of rapid outbreak response times and maintaining strong routine immunisation coverage, especially in high-risk settings to prevent and minimise cases and deaths.
When outbreaks have occurred in lower-income countries since 2005, measles vaccinations have reduced cases by 59 per cent and deaths by 52 per cent.
Immunisation campaigns also dramatically helped reduce the risk of large outbreaks from spreading further in communities with low baseline immunity due to lower vaccine coverage.
Declining protection rates
Like most other vaccines, measles immunisation has declined since the Covid-19 pandemic.
Gavi has led efforts to bring nations back up to the coverage required to prevent large-scale outbreaks of the disease.
Since 2021, about 35 million children have been protected as a result of outbreak response vaccination campaigns.
“For the first time, we are able to comprehensively quantify the benefit, in human and economic terms, of deploying vaccines against outbreaks of some of the deadliest infectious diseases,” said Dr Sania Nishtar, chief executive of Gavi.
“This study demonstrates clearly the power of vaccines as a cost-effective countermeasure to the increasing risk the world faces from outbreaks.
“It also underscores the importance of fully funding Gavi, so it can continue to protect communities in the next five years to come.”
Volvo ES90 Specs
Engine: Electric single motor (96kW), twin motor (106kW) and twin motor performance (106kW)
Power: 333hp, 449hp, 680hp
Torque: 480Nm, 670Nm, 870Nm
On sale: Later in 2025 or early 2026, depending on region
Price: Exact regional pricing TBA
Museum of the Future in numbers
- 78 metres is the height of the museum
- 30,000 square metres is its total area
- 17,000 square metres is the length of the stainless steel facade
- 14 kilometres is the length of LED lights used on the facade
- 1,024 individual pieces make up the exterior
- 7 floors in all, with one for administrative offices
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- 100 species of trees and plants dot the gardens
- Dh145 is the price of a ticket
The specs: 2018 Mazda CX-5
Price, base / as tested: Dh89,000 / Dh130,000
Engine: 2.5-litre four-cylinder
Power: 188hp @ 6,000rpm
Torque: 251Nm @ 4,000rpm
Transmission: Six-speed automatic
Fuel consumption, combined: 7.1L / 100km
David Haye record
Total fights: 32
Wins: 28
Wins by KO: 26
Losses: 4
Tearful appearance
Chancellor Rachel Reeves set markets on edge as she appeared visibly distraught in parliament on Wednesday.
Legislative setbacks for the government have blown a new hole in the budgetary calculations at a time when the deficit is stubbornly large and the economy is struggling to grow.
She appeared with Keir Starmer on Thursday and the pair embraced, but he had failed to give her his backing as she cried a day earlier.
A spokesman said her upset demeanour was due to a personal matter.
The biog
Name: Samar Frost
Born: Abu Dhabi
Hobbies: Singing, music and socialising with friends
Favourite singer: Adele
Company Profile
Company name: OneOrder
Started: October 2021
Founders: Tamer Amer and Karim Maurice
Based: Cairo, Egypt
Industry: technology, logistics
Investors: A15 and self-funded
RESULTS
Women:
55kg brown-black belt: Amal Amjahid (BEL) bt Amanda Monteiro (BRA) via choke
62kg brown-black belt: Bianca Basilio (BRA) bt Ffion Davies (GBR) via referee’s decision (0-0, 2-2 adv)
70kg brown-black belt: Ana Carolina Vieira (BRA) bt Jessica Swanson (USA), 9-0
90kg brown-black belt: Angelica Galvao (USA) bt Marta Szarecka (POL) 8-2
Men:
62kg black belt: Joao Miyao (BRA) bt Wan Ki-chae (KOR), 7-2
69kg black belt: Paulo Miyao (BRA) bt Gianni Grippo (USA), 2-2 (1-0 adv)
77kg black belt: Espen Mathiesen (NOR) bt Jake Mackenzie (CAN)
85kg black belt: Isaque Braz (BRA) bt Faisal Al Ketbi (UAE), 2-0
94kg black belt: Felipe Pena (BRA) bt Adam Wardzinski (POL), 4-0
110kg black belt final: Erberth Santos (BRA) bt Lucio Rodrigues (GBR) via rear naked choke
THE BIO:
Favourite holiday destination: Thailand. I go every year and I’m obsessed with the fitness camps there.
Favourite book: Born to Run by Christopher McDougall. It’s an amazing story about barefoot running.
Favourite film: A League of their Own. I used to love watching it in my granny’s house when I was seven.
Personal motto: Believe it and you can achieve it.
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
MATCH INFO
Inter Milan v Juventus
Saturday, 10.45pm (UAE)
Watch the match on BeIN Sports
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
SAUDI RESULTS
Team Team Pederson (-40), Team Kyriacou (-39), Team De Roey (-39), Team Mehmet (-37), Team Pace (-36), Team Dimmock (-33)
Individual E. Pederson (-14), S. Kyriacou (-12), A van Dam (-12), L. Galmes (-12), C. Hull (-9), E. Givens (-8),
G. Hall (-8), Ursula Wikstrom (-7), Johanna Gustavsson (-7)
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Where to buy
Limited-edition art prints of The Sofa Series: Sultani can be acquired from Reem El Mutwalli at www.reemelmutwalli.com
The National Archives, Abu Dhabi
Founded over 50 years ago, the National Archives collects valuable historical material relating to the UAE, and is the oldest and richest archive relating to the Arabian Gulf.
Much of the material can be viewed on line at the Arabian Gulf Digital Archive - https://www.agda.ae/en
THE CLOWN OF GAZA
Director: Abdulrahman Sabbah
Starring: Alaa Meqdad
Rating: 4/5
Living in...
This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.
Living in...
This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.
The specs
Engine: 3.0-litre 6-cyl turbo
Power: 374hp at 5,500-6,500rpm
Torque: 500Nm from 1,900-5,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 8.5L/100km
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On sale: from January 2022
Dust and sand storms compared
Sand storm
- Particle size: Larger, heavier sand grains
- Visibility: Often dramatic with thick "walls" of sand
- Duration: Short-lived, typically localised
- Travel distance: Limited
- Source: Open desert areas with strong winds
Dust storm
- Particle size: Much finer, lightweight particles
- Visibility: Hazy skies but less intense
- Duration: Can linger for days
- Travel distance: Long-range, up to thousands of kilometres
- Source: Can be carried from distant regions
TWISTERS
Director: Lee Isaac Chung
Starring: Glen Powell, Daisy Edgar-Jones, Anthony Ramos
Rating: 2.5/5
Tips to stay safe during hot weather
- Stay hydrated: Drink plenty of fluids, especially water. Avoid alcohol and caffeine, which can increase dehydration.
- Seek cool environments: Use air conditioning, fans, or visit community spaces with climate control.
- Limit outdoor activities: Avoid strenuous activity during peak heat. If outside, seek shade and wear a wide-brimmed hat.
- Dress appropriately: Wear lightweight, loose and light-coloured clothing to facilitate heat loss.
- Check on vulnerable people: Regularly check in on elderly neighbours, young children and those with health conditions.
- Home adaptations: Use blinds or curtains to block sunlight, avoid using ovens or stoves, and ventilate living spaces during cooler hours.
- Recognise heat illness: Learn the signs of heat exhaustion and heat stroke (dizziness, confusion, rapid pulse, nausea), and seek medical attention if symptoms occur.
The specs
Engine: 1.6-litre 4-cyl turbo
Power: 217hp at 5,750rpm
Torque: 300Nm at 1,900rpm
Transmission: eight-speed auto
Price: from Dh130,000
On sale: now
