Europe Faces Highest Measles Surge in 25 Years, WHO Reports

A recent WHO and UNICEF report reveals that measles cases in Europe have surged to their highest levels in 25 years, largely due to decreased vaccination rates. The report highlights the urgent need for increased public health measures and awareness to combat the rising threat of this highly contagious disease.

The European region is experiencing a dramatic resurgence of measles cases, with reported incidents doubling over the past year to the highest level seen in 25 years. A comprehensive analysis by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) indicates that in 2024, children under five comprised more than 40% of the 127,350 measles cases documented across the region.

Hans Henri Kluge, the WHO's regional director for Europe, describes the alarming rise as a "wake-up call," underscoring the critical need for high vaccination rates to ensure public health security. The Measles, Mumps, and Rubella (MMR) vaccine is noted for its 97% efficacy in combating the disease.

Measles, transmitted through respiratory droplets from coughs and sneezes, is highly contagious and can lead to severe complications, including pneumonia, swelling of the brain, and even death. Up until March 6, 2025, at least 38 deaths linked to the disease have been reported in the region. While the number of cases had previously decreased since 1997, 2018-19 saw a reversal of this trend, with the current spike attributed to lapses in vaccination during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The WHO and UNICEF express strong concern, citing that the European region accounted for one-third of all global measles cases in 2024. Romania leads the tally with 30,692 confirmed cases, followed closely by Kazakhstan with 28,147 cases.

Amidst these rising figures, health officials urge governments in affected areas to take immediate action, while also advocating for preparedness in countries where measles has not yet spread. Reports of recent deaths from measles in the United States—where the disease was considered eliminated in 2000—further emphasize the ongoing public health threat posed by declining vaccination rates.

In response to this crisis, health experts have pointed out that nearly 80% of individuals diagnosed with measles last year had not received vaccinations, according to European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) data. Alarmingly, only four countries—Hungary, Malta, Portugal, and Slovakia—have achieved the essential 95% vaccination threshold necessary to ward off outbreaks.

In the UK, concerns are mounting as vaccination rates for the MMR vaccine have fallen below 90%. Dr. Ben Kasstan-Dabush from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine warns of the dangers posed by misinformation regarding vaccines circulated on social media, highlighting the lessons learned from the COVID-19 vaccination campaign.

Amid rising measles cases and decreasing vaccination rates, the WHO and health officials continue to advocate for urgency in public health responses to mitigate this significant global threat.