Parents in Medway are being urged to check their children have been vaccinated to stop a measles outbreak in the Towns.

It is part of a national campaign by Public Health England (PHE) to increase MMR vaccination uptake in children and teenagers in the wake of the outbreak in Swansea.

The catch-up programme coincides with the publication of new figures showing high numbers of confirmed measles cases in England in the first three months of 2013.

They reached 587 by end of March, following a record annual high of almost 2,000 cases in 2012.

This is despite the highest ever national MMR vaccination level in England, with 92% of five-year-olds getting two doses of the vaccination in Medway.

There were only 10 cases in the last quarter in Kent, Surrey and Sussex but the longer term trend is one of increasing cases. In 2011, there were 292 and in 2012 there were 365 cases.

In Medway there have been 15 confirmed cases since 2008, with the most recent being last month.

The catch-up programme involves local health teams working together to identify and give MMR to unvaccinated and partially vaccinated 10-16 year olds as possible in time for the next school year.

Dr Graham Bickler, director of the Kent, Surrey and Sussex PHE Centre said: “Measles is a potentially fatal but entirely preventable disease.

"Those who have not been vaccinated should urgently seek at least one dose of MMR vaccination which will give them 95% protection against measles. A second dose is then needed to provide almost complete protection.

“Measles is not a mild illness – it is very unpleasant and can lead to serious complications as we have seen with more than 100 children in England being hospitalised so far this year.”

Parents of unvaccinated children, teenagers and young adults are being advised to arrange to be vaccinated by their GP as soon as possible.