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Measles total number of cases

Last updated on Tuesday, 3 September 2024 at 09:25am

Summary

Topic
Measles
Category
headline
API name
measles_headline_cumulativeCasesIncident

Rationale

To highlight the total number of cases since the beginning of the incident. The metric can be used to identify weekly changes in cases.

Definition

This metric shows the total number of confirmed cases of measles that have been reported during the current incident, which started on 1 October 2023.

Methodology

Measles cases are identified by collecting appropriate samples from individuals presenting to a health professional with compatible symptoms.

Measles is a notifiable infection and therefore when a health professional suspects an individual may have measles they will report the case to a UKHSA Health Protection Team (HPT).

The Health Protection Team will send an Oral Fluid Kit (OFK) to all suspected measles cases for self-swabbing. This is done for surveillance purposes. In parallel, some cases will also be swabbed by health professionals for diagnostic purposes. Cases are identified using 2 types of tests for the measles virus:

Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests, which require processing in a laboratory, these can be tested in both NHS local and regional laboratories and at the Virus Reference Department (VRD) at UKHSA

IgM Serology testing at the VRD.

All positive cases identified at the VRD are reported to the UKHSA Laboratory Information Management System (LIMS) system, MOLIS. If the test results are negative, these are not reported as confirmed cases.

All local positive measles PCR tests are reported by local and Regional laboratories to UKSHA via the Second Generation Surveillance System (SGSS).

Case data for England includes all positive laboratory confirmed [GH1] PCR and IgM test results. In addition, laboratory confirmed cases captured through the UKHSA HPT case management system (HPZone) which have not yet had their positive result reported through the SGSS or LIMS systems are included (these are followed up to ensure the laboratory reporting route is as complete as possible).

Date of symptom onset is obtained by Health Protection Practitioners during follow up of suspected cases and entered on HPZone.

Case numbers are extracted on the Monday of each week and include data up to the Sunday of the previous week.

Data for the last 28 days by date of symptom onset are considered incomplete as it takes time for testing to be undertaken and for results to be available and flow via relevant laboratory reporting systems.

Extract case counts of positive measles cases from the National Enhanced Measles Line list.

Caveats

Data are provisional and subject to change as more cases undergo confirmatory testing. Some locally tested cases are discarded through collection of further epidemiological information or after undergoing confirmatory testing at the reference laboratory.

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