The NHS has issued a warning about an infectious disease that can lead to serious problems in the body, including blindness – here are the key symptoms to look out for
A specific infectious disease has the potential to cause blindness in those who contract it, including children.
The NHS’s official guidance emphasises that measles can spread easily and directly lead to serious complications. Moreover, early detection of measles can be challenging due to its symptoms mirroring those of the common cold.
The concern over measles cases is growing, especially after a child died after contracting the disease in Liverpool last week. However, despite occasional surges in measles cases this year, the most recent data from the UKHSA indicates a ‘downward trajectory’.
While May of this year recorded 128 confirmed cases of measles, June only saw 69, totalling 529 cases for the year so far. This is a stark contrast to the 2,911 laboratory-confirmed cases in 2024, which marked the highest annual number since 2012.
Symptoms of measles
In the initial stages of infection, measles symptoms can appear similar to the common cold. These may include a high temperature, sneezing, coughing, and a runny nose.
However, some distinctive symptoms will begin to emerge in the days following infection, including:
The small white spots may appear in the inside of the cheek and on the back of the lips, and generally will stay there for a few days. The rash from measles will also appear a few days after other symptoms begin to appear and will start on the face and behind the ears before spreading to the rest of the body.
The particular rash caused by measles may often show spots across the body that are raised and joined together to create blotchy patches – they are also generally not itchy.
While these symptoms on their own generally don’t pose much danger, measles can lead to more serious problems if it spreads to other parts of the body. For example, if spread to the lungs it can result in pneumonia.
Other complications from measles, while rare, can include seizures, blindness, and meningitis.
Treatment
In most cases, measles will begin to get better on its own after a week. However, NHS guidance notes that patients can help minimise discomfort by taking paracetamol and ibuprofen to treat high temperatures while also staying hydrated and using cotton wool soaked in warm water to remove crust from the eyes.
Alder Heys has also highlighted that in the wake of a child’s death in Liverpool last month shortly after they contracted measles, that it has noticed an increase in children being treated for effects and complications from the disease. It also highlighted that people, including children, could reduce their risk of contracting measles by getting appropriately vaccinated.