THE recent measles outbreak in Wales has prompted more parents to arrange for their children to receive MMR (measles, mumps, rubella) vaccinations - but the picture in Gwent is varied.

The National Public Health Service for Wales (NPHS) reports that the numbers of children being vaccinated when MMR jabs are first due, at 13 months of age, are at their highest in more than 10 years, while there has been an increase in catch-up vaccinations for children who had previously missed appointments.

But in Gwent, while Blaenau Gwent boasted the highest uptake in Wales for first MMR jabs during the April-June 2009 quarter, at 95.4 per cent, Newport recorded the lowest, at 87.2 per cent.

Blaenau Gwent is also doing well with second dose MMR jabs, with 91.4 per cent of eligible five-year-olds being vaccinated during April-June, the third best outcome in Wales and up from just 85.2 per cent for the previous quarter.

Nearly 6,500 parents in Wales have arranged catch-up vaccinations since April, when the NPHS announced a Wales-wide measles outbreak.

There have been 380 cases, across 20 out of 22 local authority areas.

During April-June, 91 per cent of children reaching two years of age from April to June 2009 had received their first dose of MMR Wales-wide, the highest uptake figure since 1997.

The NPHS is now working closely with Local Health Boards and school nurses to ensure unvaccinated children are contacted and offered vaccination as early as possible in the new term.

Dr Richard Roberts, head of the NPHS’s vaccine preventable disease programme, said the figures are "encouraging."

“Although the spread of the outbreak has slowed over the summer holidays, it is likely we will see more cases when the new school term starts and children begin to mix on a daily basis again," he said.

“We are therefore reminding any parent whose child has not yet received two doses of MMR and is overdue, that they should speak to their GP urgently before the new term starts.”