Measles cases in Birmingham and Solihull have “stabilised” but parents are still being encouraged to get their children vaccinated.
Birmingham was one of the cities that experienced an outbreak earlier this year, with government figures showing 26 confirmed cases between January and June.
Members of the NHS Birmingham and Solihull Integrated Care Board (ICB) discussed the issue at a meeting on Monday.
Chief medical officer Clara Day said herd immunity and getting the population vaccinated was important to stopping the spread of the disease.
She said: “There certainly has been an increase above the baseline – which is zero – and we were worried for a few weeks but it seems to have stabilised out.
“We still have the same concerns around immunisation rates.”
Chief executive David Melbourne said: “Ruth [Tennant] – public health director in Solihull – is working with our children’s hospital to try and get some of the safe messaging across Birmingham and Solihull about the importance of vaccination for children.
“We know measles for young people can be tragic so there is some work to do there.”
The ICB had been urging people to get up to date with their measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) jabs for the past few months.
In June, the ICB’s chief nursing officer, Helen Kelly, said: “There are lots of myths and misconceptions about the MMR vaccination, but we know it is safe, effective and remains our best protection against a virus which can be life-threatening in the most serious cases.
“The MMR vaccination is safe for all faiths and cultures, and a pork-free version is available for those who avoid pork products.
“If you’re unsure, I strongly encourage parents to speak to their GP, health visitor or nurse to get accurate information and avoid the risks of misinformation which spreads easily online.”
This news was gathered by the Local Democracy Reporting Service, which covers councils and other public service organisations.