Measles refers to a highly contagious, serious viral disease caused by a virus in the paramyxovirus family.
The condition is normally passed through direct contact and the air.
The virus then infects the respiratory tract, spreading throughout your body and causing severe disease, complications, and even death, the World Health Organization (WHO) warns.
One of the warning signs of measles could appear in your mouth – Koplik spots.
Koplik spots describe small, bluish-white spots that crop up on the inside of your cheeks.
Often referred to as “grains of salt on a red background”, the spots are raised with a diameter of approximately two to three millimeters.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Koplik spots usually appear two to three days after symptoms of measles begin.
This red flag is considered a prevalent sign, affecting around 60 to 70 percent of patients suffering from measles, the National Library of Medicine reports.
CDC explains that the spots can be preceded by the following signs:
- High fever
- Cough
- Runny nose
- Red watery eyes (conjunctivitis).
Measles can be dangerous, especially for babies and young children.
Therefore, it’s crucial to get medical help promptly if you identify the warning signs.
While symptom awareness is important, the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) urged those who have missed their jab to catch up earlier this month.
The health agency suggested that London could see tens of thousands of measles cases due to low levels of vaccination, with an outbreak potentially affecting between 40,000 and 160,000 people.
Dr Vanessa Saliba, a consultant epidemiologist at the UKHSA, said: “Due to longstanding sub-optimal vaccine uptake, there is now a very real risk of seeing big outbreaks in London. I urge those who have missed their MMR vaccines to catch up now.”