Research: Measles, mumps and rubella: lab-confirmed cases in England 2026

Measles, mumps and rubella are notifiable diseases; healthcare professionals are legally required to inform their local Health Protection Team (HPT) of any suspected case. National enhanced surveillance including oral fluid (OF) testing of all suspected cases is provided through the Virus Reference Department (VRD) at Colindale to support and monitor progress towards WHO measles and rubella elimination targets (1).

Two WHO indicators are of prime importance for measuring the performance of national measles and rubella surveillance systems. These are:

To achieve these targets, the focus of the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) is to ensure that all suspected cases are appropriately tested. IgM serology testing is the gold standard test for confirming or discarding a suspected acute measles or rubella case. Oral fluid IgM testing is a suitable alternative that is minimally invasive. Recent infection is confirmed by the presence of virus specific IgM. Cases can be confirmed by molecular detection of viral RNA in these samples, with subsequent sequencing for molecular surveillance.

Samples that have been confirmed positive for measles or rubella in a proficient laboratory (this includes local laboratories as well as the National Reference Laboratory) are included in this report. Samples that are referred to, or tested at, the National Reference Laboratory are further sequenced and entered on the WHO global Measles Nucleotide Surveillance (MeaNS2) or the Rubella Nucleotide Surveillance (RubeNS2) system, respectively, which are hosted by the National Reference Laboratory. Genotyping and further characterisation of measles and rubella is used to support investigation of transmission pathways and sources of infection.