European Center warns that measles virus is circulating in several countries
The European Center for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) issued a warning to the “considerable increase” of measles in the last year.
Data from the monthly update on this contagious disease account for “a continuous measles transmission in several EU/EEE (European Union and the European Economic Space) countries, with a sharp increase in cases reported during 2024”.
Between February 1, 2024 and January 31, 2025, they were diagnosed with measles 32,265 people, with Romania (27,568), Italy (1,097), Germany (637), Belgium (551) and Austria (542) to have the largest number of cases throughout EU/EEE.
The ECDC revealed that in Romania 18 people died with measles and Ireland one, stressing that continuous transmission of the virus is due to « gaps in vaccination coverage against this avoidable disease. » Eight out of 10 people who were diagnosed with measles at the EU/EEE in 2024 were not vaccinated, warned.
The prevention of measles outbreaks and the protection of vulnerable populations require that at least 95% of the eligible population receive two doses of the vaccine, and, according to data from 2023, only four countries – Portugal, Hungary, Malta and Slovakia – reached this goal.
