Measles cases in Europe shoot up, now at highest level in 25 years

Measles cases in Europe have surged to their highest level in 25 years, driven by declining vaccination rates, according to a United Nations report released Thursday (March 13).

The virus caused 127,352 infections across the continent in 2024, with Romania reporting the highest number of cases, the report from the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and the World Health Organisation’s Europe office said.

Children under 5 accounted for 43 per cent of all recorded cases in Europe and Central Asia last year. The increase follows a significant decline in immunisation coverage during the COVID-19 pandemic, leading to a resurgence of measles in 2023 and 2024, Politico reported.

“Vaccination rates in many countries are yet to return to pre-pandemic levels, increasing the risk of outbreaks,” the report said.

In Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, North Macedonia, and Romania, less than 80 per cent of eligible children received their first measles vaccine dose (MCV1) in 2023— well below the 95 per cent coverage needed to maintain herd immunity, the report found.

Europe and Central Asia accounted for 35 per cent of the global measles total, which reached 359,521 cases in 2024, the report said.

Situation in the US

The US is facing a surge in measles cases, with an outbreak in West Texas.

The virus has also spread to eight other counties and into New Mexico, with additional cases recorded in Georgia, Alaska, New Jersey, and California.

Measles was declared eliminated in the US in 2000, thanks to widespread vaccination efforts. In the years that followed, cases were sporadic and often linked to individuals who had travelled abroad and brought the virus back. However, in recent years, declining vaccination rates have contributed to a rise in large outbreaks.

Measles is highly contagious, spreading through respiratory droplets and lingering in the air for up to two hours after an infected person leaves an area. The disease causes fever, respiratory symptoms, and a rash – but can also lead to severe complications, including pneumonia, brain inflammation, and death.

Most deaths from the disease result from complications such as encephalitis, kidney failure, and hepatitis.

UNICEF said one measles case can lead to 12 to 18 additional infections.

With inputs from agencies