British families heading to Spain have been urged to exercise caution as a measles outbreak spreads in a popular tourist hotspot. The number of confirmed infections in Alcantarilla, Murcia has now reached eight – a number which has doubled since health officials first declared the outbreak earlier this month.
Regional health authorities confirmed the first case had struck on May 5.By last Thursday, four people had tested positive for the highly infectious disease, including three adults and an infant.
The remaining four cases have since been identified, with officials confirming that half of all patients contracted the virus through direct contact with another infected individual.Measles ranks among the most transmissible illnesses in the world, with an infection rate approaching 100 per cent.The disease spreads through airborne droplets released when an infected person coughs or sneezes.Symptoms typically include a high temperature, persistent cough and a distinctive blotchy skin rash.
The number of confirmed measles infections in Alcantarilla, Murcia has now reached eight | GETTY
The European Centre for Disease Control and Prevention has described measles as a “serious disease that can lead to complications and even death”.Health officials have noted significant improvements in their response time during the outbreak.Early cases took as long as a fortnight to diagnose after symptoms first appeared.More recent infections have been identified within just four days of patients becoming unwell.
Measles symptoms typically include a high temperature, persistent cough and a distinctive blotchy skin rash | GETTY
Regional health minister Juan Jose Pedreno credited the Epidemiology Service’s contact tracing efforts with preventing the situation from spiralling.Investigators initially suspected the outbreak began at a christening ceremony in Alcantarilla, though this theory was subsequently dismissed following further enquiries.Across Europe, more than 6,000 measles cases were recorded in the twelve months between February 2025 and January 2026, with six fatalities occurring during this period.These figures represent a slight decrease from the previous year, when 7,655 infections and eight deaths were documented.
Juan Jose Pedreño credited the Epidemiology Service’s contact tracing efforts with preventing the situation from spiralling | GETTY
Children under five accounted for 37 per cent of all European cases in 2025/26, totalling approximately 2,250 infections.The World Health Organization warns that young children face particular risks from measles, which can trigger pneumonia, meningitis, vision loss and seizures when it spreads beyond its initial site.Adults aged 15 and over represented a further 2,282 cases.Vaccination remains the most effective defence against the disease.The MMRV jab, which protects against measles, mumps, rubella and chickenpox, is routinely offered to children in Britain at 12 and 18 months of age.Adults who missed their childhood vaccinations can still receive the MMR injection.