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January 25, 2024 — The World Health Organization (WHO) has issued a stark warning as measles cases surge across Europe, urging immediate action to address the alarming rise in infections. Between January and October 2023, over 30,000 measles cases were reported by 40 of the WHO European region’s 53 member states, marking a 30-fold increase compared to the 941 cases reported in 2022.
Hospitalizations have also spiked, with 21,000 people admitted to hospitals, and five deaths attributed to measles. The increase in cases follows a period during the COVID-19 lockdowns when the virus practically disappeared in Europe. However, since June 2023, the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) notes a steady rise in measles cases in the EU/EEA.
Romania is on red alert after confirming 2,805 cases in 2023, with deaths reported in four unvaccinated individuals, including three babies and one adult. Austria has recorded almost 200 cases in 2023, and France reported 64 confirmed cases, two of which required hospitalization by mid-November. Germany saw 57 cases in 2023, higher than in 2022 but lower than pre-pandemic levels.
The ECDC attributes the surge to suboptimal vaccination coverage, with data indicating around 89.7% coverage for the second dose in 2022. The United Kingdom has declared a “national incident” over an outbreak in central England, with the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) recording 216 confirmed measles cases and 103 probable cases in the West Midlands since October 2023.
Jenny Harries, Chief Executive of the UKHSA, emphasized the critical importance of vaccination, stating, “With vaccine uptake in some communities so low, there is now a very real risk of seeing the virus spread in other towns and cities.” Harries stressed the need for two doses of the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine for lifelong protection, emphasizing that “it’s never too late to catch up.”
Measles is a highly contagious viral illness that spreads easily through respiratory droplets. Symptoms include high fever, cough, runny nose, and rashes, and the virus can cause severe complications and even death, particularly in children. The WHO’s urgent call for vaccination underscores the need for immediate and widespread action to curb the measles surge and protect public health across Europe.
