The Health Protection Agency (HPA) has announced measles alert after a few cases of measles were confirmed from schools in Sussex and Surrey. The health alert is only for families travelling abroad. The HPA has also advised these families to ensure that they have taken their MMR vaccines.

Measles can affect the people of any age group but it is most common among children, teenagers and young adults especially among those who have who have not been immunized. The symptoms of the disease include eye and ear infections, pneumonia, seizures and rarely encephalitis.

The HPA said that a small number of schools in the counties had reported cases in the past few weeks.

The HPA has sent warning letters to schools across the UK after the cases of measles were confirmed among the school children. The announcement was made after large outbreak of measles in France and a few incidences in Italy, Germany and Bulgaria.

Health experts have advised the people to stay away from the infected people because measles could spread by inhaling droplets released by the cough or sneezing of infected person.