Measles rates in Europe are at the highest they’ve ever been in 25 years. The World Health Organization (WHO) found that over 100k measles cases were found in the European Region in 2024, which is the highest since 1997. Of these cases, 40% were of children under five years old, with the highest number of cases found in Romania. While measles cases had been slowly falling, a decline in immunisation during the COVID-19 pandemic caused case numbers to rise again.
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‘Measles cases across Europe and central Asia have soared over the past 2 years – pointing to gaps in immunization coverage,’ said Regina De Dominicis, UNICEF Regional Director for Europe and Central Asia. ‘To protect children from this deadly and debilitating disease, we need urgent government action including sustained investment in health-care workers.’
Health leaders say vaccination rates need to be built back up to bring down the number of cases. WHO reported that in 2023, over 500k children in the European Region missed their first measles vaccine (MCV1), and that vaccination rates have yet to return to pre-pandemic levels. In areas such as Bosnia and North Macedonia, vaccination rates for eligible children were below 80%, therefore not reaching the criteria for herd immunity to be applicable. UNICEF and WHO are partnering with a series of governments and global organisations to help tackle the rising cases.
‘Measles is back, and it’s a wake-up call,’ said Dr Hans Henri P. Kluge, WHO Regional Director for Europe. ‘Without high vaccination rates, there is no health security. As we shape our new regional health strategy for Europe and central Asia, we cannot afford to lose ground. Every country must step up efforts to reach under-vaccinated communities.’