It is estimated that Surrey and Sussex could have up to 156 cases and South Yorkshire up to 180. Last year's number was just 77 cases across England and Wales.
BBC reports that the south east's health agency blames low uptake of the MMR vaccine. It comes as a doctor who linked MMR with autism faces possible misconduct charges.
The first measles death in 14 years was a boy.
The Surrey and Sussex Health Protection Agency (HPA) said there had been 106 confirmed cases in the two counties with 50 more unconfirmed.
Also reported, there have been 100 cases in Doncaster with 80 further cases elsewhere in South Yorkshire.
Dr. Peter English, consultant at the HPA, said: "We haven't had an outbreak as big as this in this country since the MMR jab was introduced in 1988."He said the low MMR uptake had left "a lot of people now susceptible to the disease".
BBC adds parents have been warned the highly-contagious disease could bring on breathing difficulties, diarrhea, ear, lung and eye infections and even swelling of the brain.
