Glastonbury festival-goers have been urged to check they are vaccinated for measles amid an increasing number of outbreaks of the highly infectious disease.
The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has warned that measles is “circulating across the country and festivals are the perfect place for measles to spread”.
There are “ongoing outbreaks” of measles in a number of regions across England and in London, according to the UKHSA’s June update. Cases have mainly been in unvaccinated children aged 10 years and under; however, there are reported cases in young people and adults.
Glastonbury festival gets underway on 25 June and attracts families as well as other music fans. Dr Alasdair Wood, consultant in health protection at UKHSA South West, told ITV: “We want festival-goers to enjoy their time at Glastonbury and other festivals this year.
“Being aware of the current health risks will help those attending enjoy their time as much as possible.
“Measles is circulating across the country, and festivals are the perfect place for measles to spread. If you’re not fully vaccinated against measles, mumps and rubella, please contact your GP to see if you can get an appointment before coming to the festival.”
Dr Wood said the agency was also seeing an increase in cases of sexually transmitted infections (STIs), particularly affecting young people.
He urged people to get tested early to detect any potential infections early.
Measles cases are on the rise worldwide, with the World Health Organisation (WHO) reporting 127,350 cases in Europe in 2024. This was double the number of cases reported in 2023, and the highest number since 1997.
Outbreaks have already been seen this year in France, Italy, Spain and Germany, with the UKHSA urging people to get vaccinated before they travel abroad.
In England, there has been a decline in the uptake of childhood vaccinations, leaving many thousands of children unprotected.
Dr Vanessa Saliba, consultant epidemiologist at the UKHSA, said: “Measles spreads very easily and can be a nasty disease, leading to complications like ear and chest infections and inflammation of the brain, with some children tragically ending up in hospital and suffering life-long consequences.”
Glastonbury festival has sold a “few thousand less tickets” this year in a bid to avoid overcrowding, organiser Emily Eavis revealed this week.
