sign of measles could appear in the mouth

Health

Strange Symptom in Your Mouth Could Be Warning You About a Deadly Virus Sweeping the UK

Published on June 11, 2025

A pharmacist has urged people to watch out for an unusual sign inside the mouth that could point to a potentially deadly virus making a big comeback across Europe and the UK. The disease in question is measles, and it’s spreading faster than it has in over two decades.

Measles is extremely contagious and can have serious complications, particularly for children, pregnant women, and anyone with a weakened immune system. According to the World Health Organization, there were over 127,000 reported cases in the European region in 2024 the highest number since 1997 and more than double the cases reported just a year earlier.

In England, the situation isn’t looking much better. The UK Health Security Agency has confirmed that the country has experienced its biggest measles outbreak since 2012, particularly affecting younger children. Since the start of this year alone, there have already been 420 lab-confirmed cases.

With this surge in mind, Superdrug’s pharmacy superintendent, Niamh McMillan, has shared what people should be on the lookout for. She explained that measles usually kicks off with cold-like symptoms, which is why it can easily be confused with something more harmless at first. But there’s one red flag that can show up in your mouth and might go unnoticed, reported the Mirror.

Niamh said the symptom is known as Koplik spots — tiny white spots that can appear inside the mouth, usually on the inner cheek. “Not everyone with measles will have these spots, which usually last for a few days,” she noted. These spots tend to appear shortly before the telltale measles rash shows up on the body.

The rash itself is one of the most recognisable signs of the virus. It usually starts on the face and then spreads. “It usually appears three to five days after first signs of symptoms and lasts for several days. The rash can be flat or slightly raised and join together into larger patches,” Niamh explained.

Other symptoms to watch out for include a high fever (often kicking in around 10 to 12 days after catching the virus), a cough, sore throat, and a runny nose. If you or your child starts showing any of these signs, especially alongside the mouth spots or rash, it’s crucial to get medical advice straight away. Either book an urgent GP appointment or call 111 for guidance.

Niamh stressed that if measles is suspected or confirmed, it’s important to stay at home and avoid contact with others to stop the virus spreading further. The measles virus is carried in respiratory droplets and can live in the air for up to two hours — meaning it can easily spread in places like buses, schools, or offices.

The best defense, she says, is still vaccination. “The MMR vaccine (measles, mumps and rubella) provides long-term immunity against the disease and is suitable for both adults and children,” Niamh explained. Two doses of the vaccine are needed for full protection, and anyone who hasn’t been vaccinated is strongly encouraged to contact their GP surgery — where the jab is available for free on the NHS.

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