There have been 13 cases of the highly contagious disease in Flintshire and Wrexham since the end of September.

In two cases, patients were hospitalised but both have now recovered.
Tests are being carried out and the National Public Health Service for Wales (NPHS) is continuing to monitor the situation.

The NPHS says it can find no evidence that the cases are linked to the recent outbreak in South Wales, which has seen students and staff in schools in Cardiff and Swansea being treated.

Following the outbreak, NPHS bosses are urging parents to make sure their children receive the MMR vaccination.

Dr Chris Whiteside, consultant in communicable disease control, said: "Measles is a highly contagious infectious disease and children who have not been immunised are at risk.

"Most people who catch measles make a full recovery but there is a rare possibility of severe complications including serious eye disorders, deafness, mental difficulties and even death.

"Parents can easily protect their children by having them immunised with the MMR vaccine. After completing a two-dose course of MMR, 99 per cent of children will be protected against measles."

The 13 cases have all involved children and young people, aged from six months to 20 years.

Symptoms include fever, cold-like symptoms, fatigue, conjunctivitis and a distinctive red-brown rash.

In North Wales, 92.9 per cent of five-year-olds year have received one dose of MMR and 84.8 per cent have had two doses. These figures are above the Welsh average of 90.5 per cent and 81.9 per cent respectively.

General information on measles is available from the NPHS website at www.nphs.wales.nhs.uk or from NHS Direct on 0845 46 47.


MEASLES: THE FACTS

- Measles is an acute highly infectious viral illness caught through direct contact with an infected person or through the air via droplets from coughs or sneezes.

- It mainly affects young children but can be caught at any age. Having measles once usually confers lifelong immunity to catching it again.

- It can be a very serious disease and cause severe, even life-threatening, complications.

- In the UK, complications are quite common even in healthy people and approximately 20 per cent of reported measles cases experience one or more complication.

- Complications are more common among children under five, those with weakened immune systems, children with a poor diet, and adults.

- Catching measles in pregnancy can cause miscarriage, premature labour or a baby with a low birth weight.

- Before the introduction of measles vaccination in 1968, around 100 children a year in England and Wales died from the disease.