Public Health England has urged parents to make sure their children get the MMR vaccine amid a spike in measles cases.
A leading scientist added it is vital the nation stops the spread of the killer infection in its tracks. PHE said its renewed call was triggered by concerns about outbreaks of the virus, which can kill children if they aren't protected.
Measles cases in England have more than doubled in the last two quarters, with 231 confirmed reports in the first quarter of 2019.
In comparison, PHE data shows there was just 97 cases in the last quarter of 2018, and 143 confirmed reports in the quarter before. Measles can kill and it is incredibly easy to catch, especially if you are not vaccinated,' said PHE's head of immunisation, Dr Mary Ramsay.
'Even one child missing their vaccine is one too many – if you are in any doubt about your child’s vaccination status, ask your GP as it’s never too late to get protected.'
Leading scientists added their voice to the Government's warning, saying the UK hasn't escaped the effects of a global explosion in measles cases.
Dr Doug Brown, chief executive of the British Society for Immunology, said that it is 'incredibly important we stop this transmission in its tracks'.
He said this was possible by ensuring a high percentage of the population has been vaccinated.
Debate around anti-vaccination beliefs has been rumbling on in recent months. Politicians and scientists have had to warn parents not to believe scare stories about vaccines being dangerous which are spreading on social media.
The number of measles cases between January and March this year was the third highest for any quarter in the past five years.
The 231 confirmed cases in England came below only the first two quarters of 2018 and more than the entire of 2014 and 2015 combined.
Mumps cases nearly tripled to 795 from 275 during the same period last year, but no new cases of rubella were reported.
Although many people recover from measles – which causes cold-like symptoms, a fever and a red rash – some develop serious complications such as pneumonia.
Worldwide, the number of measles cases in the first quarter of 2019 were four times higher than during the same period last year.
The World Health Organization has warned slipping vaccination rates are partly to blame, and Ukraine, Brazil and the Philippines have experienced huge increases.
Some 112,163 measles cases were reported in January, February and March, with most of them in Africa.
PHE said that 94.9 per cent of eligible five-year-olds had received their first dose of MMR by the final quarter of 2018.
However, coverage of the second dose is lower at 87.4 per cent. To achieve herd immunity for measles, 95 per cent of the population should have had both doses.
