UK holidaymakers alerted after measles outbreak in Spanish tourist hotspot

Families planning holidays abroad have been issued an urgent warning following a measles outbreak in a popular Spanish tourist destination.

The alert comes as cases in Alcantarilla, Murcia have doubled since the outbreak was officially declared earlier this month.

The region's health ministry has confirmed eight cases of the highly contagious illness, with four cases — comprising three adults and a baby — having been identified by last Thursday.

Measles is regarded as one of the most contagious diseases in the world, spreading through coughs and sneezes with a contagion rate of nearly 100 per cent.

According to the European Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (ECDC), it is a "serious disease that can lead to complications and even death".

The first case was confirmed in the Spanish region on May 5, according to authorities.

Initially, the time between the onset of symptoms and diagnosis took up to two weeks, though this has since been reduced to just four days.

Officials confirmed that four of the patients contracted the illness following contact with another infected individual, though no further details about those affected have been released.

Authorities have succeeded in containing the spread of the disease by tracking the chain of infection.

Health minister Juan Jose Pedreño stated that control measures carried out by the Epidemiology Service have ensured the outbreak has not got "out of hand".

While it was initially believed the outbreak originated from a baptism celebration in Alcantarilla, this theory has since been dismissed.

More than 6,000 measles cases were recorded across Europe over the past year, with approximately a third affecting children under five.

During the 12-month period between February last year and this January, six people lost their lives to the disease.

The preceding year recorded 7,655 cases, eight of which proved fatal.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), children under five are particularly susceptible to measles, which can trigger pneumonia, meningitis, blindness and seizures should it spread to other areas of the body.

The most effective means of safeguarding yourself and your children remains vaccination.