Brussels: The European Region recorded the highest number of measles cases since 1997, with approximately 127,350 cases reported in 2024-more than double the number recorded in 2023-according to a joint report by the World Health Organisation (WHO) and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF).
According to Bahrain News Agency, Regina De Dominicis, UNICEF Regional Director for Europe and Central Asia, stated that measles cases had sharply increased across Europe and Central Asia over the past two years, reflecting gaps in immunisation coverage. She emphasised the need for an urgent government response to protect children from the disease, including sustained investment in healthcare workers.
The report indicated that children under five accounted for more than 40% of reported cases in the Region, which includes 53 countries across Europe and Central Asia. More than half of the cases required hospitalisation, while 38 deaths were recorded, based on preliminary data as of March 6.
The report added that measles cases had been gradually declining since 1997, when 216,000 cases were reported, reaching their lowest level in 2016 at 4,440 cases, before rising significantly in 2018 and 2019, with 89,000 and 106,000 cases recorded respectively. It further noted that the measles outbreaks in 2023 and 2024 coincided with a decline in immunisation rates during the COVID-19 pandemic, warning that many countries had yet to restore pre-pandemic coverage levels, increasing the risk of disease spread.
The report highlighted that the European Region accounted for one-third of global measles cases in 2024, with approximately 500,000 children across the Region missing the first dose of the measles vaccine in 2023. The report emphasised that measles is one of the most contagious viruses, capable of causing severe complications such as pneumonia and encephalitis, and can be fatal in some cases. It added that measles remains a global threat, with approximately 359,521 cases reported worldwide in 2024.
WHO and UNICEF called on governments to intensify efforts in case detection, contact tracing, and emergency vaccination campaigns, as well as strengthen healthcare systems to close immunisation gaps, with a focus on reaching high-risk communities.