Irish families heading to Spain have been warned to take care after a measles outbreak in a popular Spanish tourist destination.

Cases of the highly infectious disease have doubled in Alcantarilla, Murcia.

Local health officials say they have recorded eight cases of measles in recent weeks.

Four cases, including three adults and a baby, had been identified by last Thursday.

Measles is regarded as one of the most contagious diseases in the world, spreading through coughs and sneezes with a contagion rate of nearly 100 per cent.

According to the European Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (ECDC), it is a ‘serious disease that can lead to complications and even death’.

The first case was confirmed in the Spanish region on May 5, according to authorities.

Initially, the time between the onset of symptoms and diagnosis took up to two weeks in these cases.

This has since been reduced to just four days after symptoms first appear.

Officials confirmed that four of the patients contracted the illness following contact with another infected individual, though no further details about those affected have been made available.

Authorities have managed to curb the spread of the disease by tracing the chain of infection.

The HSE recommends children get the MMR vaccine to avoid getting measles.