An outbreak of mumps is continuing to sweep across Brighton and Hove.

There have been 46 confirmed cases of the virus in the city since January compared to 27 for the whole of 2009.

Health bosses say cases are affecting both young adults and children and are concerned there could be more to come before the outbreak is contained.

One teenager from Hove ended up in intensive care at the Royal Sussex County Hospital in Brighton after being struck down by the virus.

He is still in hospital but no longer in intensive care and is progressing well.

The outbreak has been blamed on the low uptake of the measles, mumps and rubella vaccine.

The take up rate for the first of two recommended MMR jabs is currently at 82% but the percentage having two doses is 69%.

This is well below the 90% the World Health Organisation says needs to be vaccinated to protect a community.

Those affected are mainly young adults, who may have been too old because the vaccine was not around when they were small.

Others may not have had the jab because of concerns about research published in the late 1990s which suggested a link with autism.

This study has been largely discredited but take up rates have struggled to recover.

Cases of mumps have also emerged across the rest of the county, with 25 in East Sussex so far this year and 18 in West Sussex.