Measles cases have been confirmed in Bury amid a warning about a “resurgence” of the virus.

According to the government's Notifications of infectious diseases database for the last 52 weeks, two cases have been detected in Bury and one case in neighbouring Bolton.

It comes after a warning in recent months that several cases of the infectious virus had been detected in the North West, most of them in Greater Manchester.

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GPs are urging patients to make sure their children are vaccinated against the disease to stop an outbreak in the area.

NHS Greater Manchester clinical director for population health Dr Helen Wall said: “Ensuring yourself and your child are fully vaccinated against measles is really important.

“It not only protects you and your family against the illness, but it also protects those who you come into contact with who may be vulnerable, such as babies, toddlers and the elderly.

“Since the introduction of the first measles vaccine in 1968 into the routine childhood immunisation programme it is estimated that more than 20 million cases and 4,500 deaths have been averted in the UK.

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“Unfortunately, following a decade long trend of a fall in childhood vaccine uptake we are now seeing a resurgence of measles.

“It is also important to be aware of what symptoms to look out for as the measles virus is highly infectious.”

Earlier this year, health bosses in Bury urged residents to get their MMR vaccine after a national incident was declared.

Across the borough, 83 per cent of children had had both doses of the MMR vaccine by the age of five in 2022/23 – compared to 94 per cent in 2014/15. While the rate has also dropped regionally and nationally, Bury is still below average.

Symptoms usually appear seven to 10 days after contact with the virus and cold-like symptoms such as runny or blocked nose, sneezing and cough and red, sore or watery eyes.

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They also include a high temperature or fever, which may reach around 40 degrees Celsius.

A non-itchy, red-brown rash usually appears three to five days, sometimes starting around the ears before spreading to rest of the body, spots may be raised and join to form blotchy patches, which may be harder to see on darker skin tones.

Small white spots may appear inside cheeks and the back of lips, for a few days.