The World Health Organization and the United Nations Children's Fund reported that measles is at its highest level in 25 years. The disease has reached record levels in Europe, with the highest number of cases in more than two and a half decades, according to health authorities.
According to the joint report from UNICEF and WHO, 127,350 cases of measles were reported in Europe in 2024, doubling the figures from 2023 and the highest since 1997. Children under five years old represent more than 40% of the cases, with more than half requiring hospitalization. There were 38 reported deaths by early March 2025.
The decline in vaccination coverage has been attributed to the alarming rise in measles cases, which has yet to recover to pre-pandemic levels from the Covid-19 pandemic. A significant increase in measles cases occurred in 2023 and 2024 in Europe, accounting for a third of the global cases recorded in this region.
In 2023, approximately 500,000 children did not receive the first dose of the measles vaccine, worsening the situation. Globally, 359,521 cases of measles were reported in 2024, with the virus spreading across borders. With vaccination rates below pre-pandemic levels, the risk of new outbreaks in 2025 remains high.
Measles is not only deadly but can also cause serious long-term health complications such as blindness, pneumonia, and encephalitis. Additionally, it weakens the immune system, making survivors vulnerable to other infections and even death.
UNICEF and WHO urge governments with active measles outbreaks to increase case detection, contact tracing, and conduct emergency vaccination campaigns to prevent future outbreaks.
