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"It only takes one case to get into a school or nursery where many children are unprotected for numbers to suddenly surge," Dr Vanessa Saliba, from the UK Health Security Agency, said

NHS National vaccinations and screening director Steve Russell said measles clearly "can be really dangerous" and it was "critical" children were vaccinated

Major measles outbreaks in England in the past year, in London, the West Midlands and the North West, sparked a campaign for parents to catch up on missed jabs

Two MMR jabs offer the best and safest protection against measles

One is offered at the age of one, a second at three years and four months, as part of the NHS routine childhood-vaccination programme

Since the campaign, NHS England says, thousands more young people are protected, with more than 13% of previously unvaccinated under-fives having a jab

But by March, only 92% of under-sixes in England had had their first MMR jab and 83% their second - the target is 95%

Latest figures for Scotland and Wales show they met the target

Parents of any child aged over one can make an appointment for an MMR jab through their GP

Your child's red book will reveal whether they are up to date with all vaccines

Measles spreads easily through coughing, sneezing and breathing on others, particularly when early symptoms appear

The first signs of measles can look like a cold

They include: A few days later, you might see: If you think your child has measles and they are less than a year old or seem very unwell, contact NHS 111 or make an urgent GP appointment If measles spreads to the lungs or the brain, complications can include meningitis, seizures and blindness