ONE of Kent's top doctors is warning of a possible measles epidemic in the county after reports of cases of the highly infectious disease at a primary school and a jail.

Dr Mathi Chandrakumar says there are confirmed cases of the illness at Lordswood Primary School, Chatham, and suspected cases at Elmley Prison in Sheppey, and 14 suspected cases at other locations in Medway.

The suspected cases at Elmley Prison are confined to prisoners and staff in one wing. There will a mass vaccination for everyone in the prison on Thursday. About 1,500 prisoners and staff will be vaccinated.

Six children are thought to have come down with the highly infectious bug at Lordswood primary and Dr Chandrakumar, director of the Kent Health Protection Agency, said more cases could follow.

Dr Chandrakumar said: "I am concerned that this may be the beginning of a wider outbreak of measles in Kent."

In a press briefing on Tuesday, he said: "I’m very concerned about the situation which is evolving in Kent and Medway. I have been notified of confirmed cases of measles and more suspected cases of measles.

"At the present time all the confirmed cases we have are confined to Medway but this is a very infectious disease that can spread rapidly and easily."

Dr Chandrakumar urged all parents to vaccinate their children and issued a similar warning to adults who are not vaccinated.

He said: "There are vaccinations available such as the MMR vaccine but there was some public concern about this and numbers receiving the jab dropped.

"Subsequent studies show that MMR is totally safe vaccine and parents should feel safe to give it to their children."

Measles in the UK was practically wiped out after years of strict vaccine programmes but occurrences of the disease have begun to reappear as people turned their backs on vaccinations.

The last reported case in Kent was two-three years ago.

Dr Chandrakumar said: "I’m undertaking a massive vaccine campaign within the prison affected and I will be writing to all the schools in Kent to advise them on the situation.

"I will also write to all GPs to advise them on the importance of vaccinating all children against measles."

Measles causes a blotchy rash that appears usually behind the ears or on the face and spreading down across the body. Anyone who thinks they may be affected should visit their GP.