Measles cases in the European region saw a dramatic rise in 2024, with the World Health Organisation (WHO) and UNICEF reporting the highest incidence since 1997. The alarming figure reached 127,352 cases, doubling the count from the previous year. Children under the age of five represented 40 per cent of those infected, with an estimated half a million kids missing their initial measles vaccinations in 2023.
Dr Hans P Kluge, the WHO’s regional director for Europe, warned that the resurgence of measles serves as a stark reminder of the necessity for robust vaccination rates to maintain health security. This uptick is primarily attributed to a drop in immunisation coverage during the COVID-19 pandemic, as vaccination levels have not yet rebounded to pre-pandemic standards, thereby heightening the risk of further outbreaks.
The European region accounted for a significant one-third of all measles cases worldwide in 2024. Alarmingly, many countries are reporting immunisation rates falling below the essential threshold of 95 per cent required for herd immunity. This is particularly critical in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, North Macedonia, and Romania, where vaccination coverage for eligible children was below 80 per cent in 2023.
The WHO and UNICEF emphasise that vaccination remains the most effective means of preventing measles, with vaccinated individuals facing a 97 per cent chance of avoiding the virus upon exposure. The current landscape calls for urgent action to bolster vaccination efforts to avert future public health crises.