The World Health Organization has withdrawn the UK’s measles-free status.

The move by the world body comes after a surge in measles cases and a child’s death in England in 2024, the sources said.

The UK was declared measles-free in 2017, marking the second time the country has lost its status.

The UN health agency only declares countries ‘measles-free’ if cases are extremely rare, have come from outside the country and are being controlled quickly.

The virus has the ability to spread rapidly. It can easily spread when an infected person breathes, coughs or sneezes.

England has previously experienced unusual outbreaks in 2023, 2024 and 2025.