Earlier this week UKHSA issued amber Heat-Health Alerts for East Midlands, East of England, London & the South East. There are yellow alerts also in place for the South West, West Midlands and Yorkshire & The Humber. These alerts will be in place until 9am tomorrow (Thursday 30 July). The rising temperatures may increase health risks, particularly for vulnerable groups. 

A reminder that individuals and organisations that wish to receive the heat-health alerts must register to receive the alerts where users will be able to specify which regions they wish to receive alerts for. The alert status is also publicly available on the UKHSA Data Dashboard.

To support stakeholders with their communications during periods of hot weather, we have a communications toolkit available. The material in this toolkit is intended to provide basic health information that can be communicated during hot spells so that the right messages reach the right people at the right time.  

Last week, UKHSA joined forces with leading water safety charities to support them in warning young adults of the dangers of cooling off in open water. The press release also includes advice on following UKHSA's Beat the Heat guidance. 

There are also a series of blog posts which your audiences may find useful: 

• UKHSA: How to keep cool and stay well during hot weather
• UKHSA: How to stay healthy while wild swimming
• UKHSA: Why severe wildfires are becoming more frequent in the UK and how to cope with the health risks
• Department for Education: Hot weather and heatwaves: guidance for schools and other education settings

Join us for the UKHSA Conference 2026 at Manchester Central on Tuesday 22 and Wednesday 23 September. In partnership with the Faculty of Public Health (FPH), this year's conference theme is Securing health together: Partnership, prevention, preparedness.

Alongside leading voices from UKHSA, our plenary programme so far welcomes an impressive line-up of guest speakers and topics, with further announcements still to come -

• Charlotte Refsum (Tony Blair Institute for Global Change) and Saeed Alavi (Vice President for Vaccines and General Medicine, UK, GSK) on how the UK can become a global leader in health security innovation
• The BBC's Disinformation and Social Media Correspondent Marianna Spring and Cambridge University's Professor Sander van der Linden on prebunking misinformation
• Adam Kucharski (London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine) and Henrietta Hughes (Patient Safety Commissioner for England) on how AI could shape health security

Our featured abstracts track will also take centre stage for the first time, running alongside the main programme within the exhibition hall.

Visit the conference website for the latest information and to book your place. If you have any questions, please contact the conference team at conference@ukhsa.gov.uk.

Our latest measles data shows that measles continues to circulate in many parts of the country.

Between 1 January 2026 and 20 July 2026, there have been 933 laboratory confirmed measles cases reported in England, an increase of 50 cases since the last report on 6 July 2026. 

The majority (61%) of these cases were in children aged 10 years and under, and 33% were in young people and adults aged 15 years and over. A total of 51% of these cases have been in London, 16%  in the West Midlands, and 10% in the North West. However, all regions have reported at least one confirmed case with symptom onset since January 2026.

Three measles-related deaths have been reported to date in 2026: one was an acute measles death in a child, another was a death in a child due to late effects of measles, and the third was a death in an adult with an underlying immunological problem.

We continue to work with partners to urge parents to check their children are up top date with their MMR or MMRV vaccines to give them the best and safest protection against measles.

Further resources

• We have a measles communications toolkit which brings together a range of resources which partners can use to raise awareness of measles, its signs and symptoms, and the MMR/MMRV vaccination offer. This is available on our Google Drive.
• We also have a measles communications toolkit which brings together a range of resources which partners can use to raise awareness of measles, its signs and symptoms, and the MMR/MMRV vaccination offer. This is available on our Google Drive.

Yesterday (28 July) was World Hepatitis Day. The day provides an opportunity to bring people around the world together to raise awareness of viral hepatitis, its global impact and the urgent need for action.

The UK has made remarkable progress towards eliminating hepatitis C, with evidence from all four nations confirming the WHO's targets have been met. But reaching the 2030 goal of eliminating viral hepatitis means reaching those still missing out on testing and treatment, often the most marginalised, while sustaining the harm reduction services that prevent new infections. However, around half of those living with hepatitis B remain undiagnosed, and making similar gains will need the same sustained, coordinated effort across all four nations.

To support stakeholders to promote awareness of hepatitis and related information,
including who is most at risk, prevention measures and available treatment, we have a communications toolkit. It contains key messages, background information, statistics, communications assets, social media copy, Q&A and useful links.

We have published a new blog post on how to safely watch the partial solar eclipse, which will be visible across the UK on Wednesday 12 August 2026.

Looking directly at the sun, even during an eclipse, can cause permanent, painless eye damage. Cloud cover doesn't make it safe, and ordinary sunglasses offer no protection.

The only safe direct viewing method is genuine eclipse glasses meeting ISO 12312-2:2015(E), available from reputable retailers such as Royal Museums Greenwich. Damaged or uncertified products should not be used. Indirect methods, such as pinhole viewers or projecting the sun through a colander, are a safe alternative requiring no specialist kit.

We are encouraging stakeholders to share this advice with networks ahead of 12 August, particularly schools and community groups planning viewing events.

The first vaccines offered as part of the the limited time MenB vaccine offer were delivered on Monday 20 July. A reminder that the one-off vaccination programme is being offered to:

• Everyone born between 01/09/2007 and 31/08/2008
• Young people under 25 (born on or after 21/07/2001) who will be starting higher education for the first time, or who will be starting further education for the first time as a residential student, in autumn 2026
• International students under 25 entering their first year of university should receive their first dose in their home country where possible to give the best chance of protection ahead of the start of the autumn term

Two doses of the vaccine are needed for protection at least 28 days apart.

17 and 18-year-olds can book via the NHS National Booking Service for appointments at community pharmacies. Other eligible people can contact a participating pharmacy to book an appointment.

We recently published the first version of our all-partner MenB vaccination communications toolkit. This contains background information, FAQs, health publication resources and other useful information to help support stakeholders promote the offer to eligible young people across the summer. The toolkit will be updated in the next few days to contain evergreen eligibility assets that can be used by partners on social media over the next few months. 

Last week, UKHSA confirmed that medical evacuation has been arranged as a highly precautionary measure following a potential healthcare related exposure to Ebola. 

UKHSA works with international partners to ensure that any British residents who may be at risk can be safely returned home and given the treatment and care required. The individual is a UK resident who has been working with a humanitarian organisation in DRC supporting the Ebola outbreak response.

The individual is not currently displaying any symptoms and remains well, but as a precautionary measure they have been evacuated on a flight chartered solely for the evacuation. They are now being assessed and monitored in isolation by infectious disease specialists at a London hospital. The incubation period of Ebola ranges from 2 to 21 days and the individual will be closely monitored and required to isolate throughout this period.

There are currently no confirmed cases of Ebola in the UK and the risk to the general public remains low. UKHSA will provide further updates if there is any change to the current situation.

Our new blog post explains why multiple doses are needed for some vaccines, and how following recommended schedules helps ensure lasting protection.

The blog outlines how different vaccine types work — live-attenuated vaccines often provide strong, long-lasting immunity with fewer doses, while non-live vaccines typically require more doses spaced over time to build effective protection.

It also explains the difference between primary courses and booster doses, why some vaccines like seasonal flu need to be taken annually as viruses evolve, and what to do if doses are missed. 

Confirmed cases of Salmonella in England reached their highest level in ten years in 2024 according to UKHSA data, with both Salmonella and Campylobacter remaining elevated in 2025. Cases rise during summer months, often linked to undercooked or mishandled meat, poultry and eggs.

With BBQ season underway, the Food Standards Agency (FSA) is urging people to avoid common food safety mistakes. Key advice includes always cooking meat all the way through — checking juices run clear and that a thermometer reads at least 75°C — using separate utensils for raw and cooked food, keeping food chilled and out of direct sunlight and taking extra care with high-risk dishes like cooked chicken, egg dishes and prepared salads.