In Europe, measles cases hit a 25-year high as vaccination rates fall

2024 saw a 25-year high in measles cases in Europe as a result of a comeback fueled by falling vaccination rates.

WHO and UNICEF warned Thursday that measles cases in Europe and Central Asia more than doubled in 2024, hitting their highest level in more than 25 years. The increase has been ascribed to a decline in immunization rates, which have not yet recovered after the COVID-19 epidemic.

The WHO reported 127,350 cases in its European region, which consists of 53 nations. It is concerning to note that over 40% of infections occurred in children less than five.

Hans Kluge, WHO’s regional director for Europe, stated that the return of measles is a wake-up call.

While pandemic-related disruptions originally impacted immunization efforts, UNICEF pointed out that the dissemination of false information has increased vaccine hesitancy. According to Fatima Cengic, UNICEF’s immunization consultant for the area, “we saw a rise in misinformation during the pandemic and in its aftermath, leading to increased hesitancy around vaccines.”

In order to prevent epidemics, the WHO stressed that a coverage rate of at least 95% is required. But in 2023, fewer than 80% of children in North Macedonia, Romania, Montenegro, and Bosnia and Herzegovina who qualified received their first dose of the measles vaccine. Last year, Romania reported 30,692 illnesses, the most in the area. Kazakhstan came in second with 28,147 cases.

Not just in Europe is measles on the rise. Cases in the US have also increased; outbreaks in Texas and New Mexico have resulted in the first measles deaths in the US in ten years. For Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., a well-known vaccination skeptic, the circumstance presents an early test. According to sources, the White House is reportedly pulling Dave Weldon’s candidacy as the director of the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Measles is a highly contagious virus that can lead to serious symptoms like encephalitis, pneumonia, and immune system impairment. To stop the growing threat, health officials are demanding that nations return their immunization programs to their pre-pandemic levels.