A dramatic rise in preventable diseases across Birmingham, with hundreds of cases of measles, scabies, and whooping cough diagnosed last year. We take a look at why these illnesses are on the rise, and what experts are saying about the role of poverty and falling vaccination rates.
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00:00Hospitals across Birmingham are seeing a rise in cases of preventable diseases like measles, whooping cough and scabies.
00:08Figures show hundreds of patients were diagnosed with measles after visiting A&E departments, with no cases recorded the previous year.
00:17Experts are attributing this surge to poverty and falling vaccination rates, which are creating conditions for these diseases to spread more easily.
00:26Measles, which can develop into a serious rash, saw the largest increase in hospitalisations across England, including around 350 cases in Birmingham.
00:36Scabies and whooping cough have also seen significant increases.
00:40Last year, whooping cough diagnoses in Birmingham hospitals tripled, while scabies cases rose by two thirds.
00:47The UK Health Service Authority has raised concerns about vaccination uptake, and health professionals are urging parents to check their children's vaccination records to ensure they are protected.