In brief
The World Health Organization and UNICEF reveal that Europe has seen its highest number of measles cases in 25 years, with over 127,000 reported. The majority of cases are among unvaccinated children, prompting urgent calls for action to improve immunization rates.
The number of measles cases in Europe surged last year, reaching a troubling peak not seen in 25 years. A recent report by the World Health Organization (WHO) and UNICEF highlighted that cases doubled, with children under five constituting more than 40% of the infections."Measles is back, and it's a wake-up call," remarked Hans Henri Kluge, WHO's regional director for Europe. He stressed that without robust vaccination figures, health security would remain a distant hope. The MMR vaccine, vital for protecting against measles, mumps, and rubella, boasts a 97% effectiveness rate against the disease. Highly contagious, measles spreads through coughs and sneezes, leading to symptoms such as high fever, sore eyes, coughing, and sneezing. Severe complications include pneumonia, brain swelling, and potentially death. The analysis covering 53 countries reported a staggering 127,350 measles cases logged in the European region for the year 2024, the highest since 1997. Sadly, 38 deaths have been noted as of March 6, 2025.While there was a noted decline in measles cases since 1997, this positive trend reversed between 2018-2019, with alarming increases in 2023-2024, coinciding with dwindling vaccination rates during the Covid-19 pandemic. "Vaccination rates in several countries are yet to rebound to pre-pandemic levels, which heightens the risk of outbreaks," the report cautioned.In fact, the European region now represents a third of all global measles cases for 2024. Romania recorded the highest cases at 30,692, closely followed by Kazakhstan with 28,147. The WHO and UNICEF stressed that measles remains a major global threat. They implored governments experiencing outbreaks to take immediate measures and ensure readiness in countries that have yet to see the virus.Falling vaccination rates are heavily blamed for this resurgence; data from the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) reveals that eight in ten measles patients were unvaccinated. By 2023, only Hungary, Malta, Portugal, and Slovakia achieved the 95% vaccination threshold necessary to inhibit outbreaks.Concerns are also mounting in the United Kingdom over the rise in measles cases, as vaccination rates for two doses have dipped below 90%. Dr. Ben Kasstan-Dabush from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine warned against reliance on unverified social media information, which can mislead individuals regarding vaccinations. “Like with the Covid-19 vaccination campaign, misinformation can spread rapidly and influence decisions. It’s crucial to recognize that vaccine information shared on social media may lack scientific backing," he advised. As health officials call for action, the public's understanding of vaccination's importance becomes critical in combating this ongoing health challenge.
