Measles cases across Europe continue to surge, and they will soon exceed the number of cases reported throughout 2023, the World Health Organization (WHO) and the UN children's agency (UNICEF) warned on Tuesday.
According to the latest available data, 56,634 measles cases and four deaths were officially reported across 45 out of 53 countries in the WHO European Region during the first three months of 2024.
Throughout 2023, 61,070 cases and 13 deaths were reported by 41 countries.
The effect of measles is devastating on children's health, with young children most at risk of severe complications, the world health body warned.
“Even one case of measles should be an urgent call to action,” said Dr. Hans Henri P. Kluge, WHO's regional director for Europe.
“No one should suffer the consequences of this devastating but easily preventable disease,” he added.
High rates of hospitalization and long-lasting weakening of children's immune systems make children more vulnerable to other infectious diseases.
Over half of those who contracted measles in the WHO European Region in 2023 were hospitalized, demonstrating the severe burden on individuals, families, and healthcare systems.
Kluge applauded every country that has accelerated their efforts to interrupt transmission through catch-up vaccination.
- Call for action
“I urge all countries to take immediate action, even where overall immunization coverage is high, to vaccinate the vulnerable, close the immunity gaps, and thereby prevent the virus from taking hold in any community,” said the WHO regional head.
Nearly half of the reported cases in 2023 occurred among children under five years of age, reflecting an accumulation of children who missed routine vaccinations against measles and other vaccine-preventable diseases during the COVID-19 pandemic, said the WHO.
The tendency was linked to a slow recovery in vaccination coverage in 2021 and 2022.
“An increase in measles cases is a clear sign of a breakdown in immunization coverage,” said Regina De Dominicis, UNICEF regional director for Europe and Central Asia.
“As cases of measles continue to surge, we need urgent government action to both strengthen health systems and implement effective public health measures to secure protection for all children from this dangerous but preventable disease,” she said.
More than three-quarters of children under five who contracted measles in 2023 had not received any measles vaccination doses.
Around 99% of these children did not receive two doses of measles-containing vaccine, which confers the required protection.
Measles cases are also rising globally.
In 2023, there were over 300,000 cases of measles worldwide, and the numbers reported so far in 2024 indicate that the total for the year will match or exceed the total in 2023.
The WHO said those countries currently experiencing outbreaks need to continue their efforts to vaccinate all susceptible individuals.
They need to intensify case finding and contact tracing and use epidemiological data to identify gaps in vaccination coverage so that the programs can protect affected communities and prevent future outbreaks.
UNICEF and WHO said they, along with other regional and global partners, will continue to support such efforts by countries.
Measles is one of the most contagious diseases in the world. It is spread when an infected person breathes, coughs, or sneezes.
The virus remains active and contagious in the air or on infected surfaces for up to two hours.
