The European region reports the most measles cases in over 25 years – UNICEF, WHO/Europe
127 350 measles cases have been reported in the European region in 2024 – twice the number reported in 2023, the highest number seen in the region since 1997
Geneva/Copenhagen, March 13, 2025
Analysis by the WHO and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) found that 127,350 measles cases were reported in the European region in 2024, doubling the number of cases reported in 2023, the highest since 1997.
Children under the age of 5 accounted for more than 40% of cases reported in the area. It consists of 53 countries, Europe and Central Asia. More than half of reported cases required hospitalization. A total of 38 deaths have been reported based on preliminary data received as of March 6, 2025.
Measles cases in this region have generally declined since 1997, when around 216 000 were reported in 1997, reaching 4,440 cases in 2016. However, they saw a revival in 2018 and 2019. Cases have risen significantly again in 2023 and 2024, following the setback in vaccination coverage during the Covid-19 pandemic. Vaccination rates in many countries are still returning to pre-pandemic levels, increasing the risk of an outbreak.
“Measles is back, it’s a wake-up call. Without high vaccination rates, there’s no health safety. As we shape the health strategies for new regions of Europe and Central Asia, we can’t afford to lose the ground. “The measles virus will never rest, and we can’t.”
The European region accounted for a third of all measles cases worldwide in 2024. In 2023 alone, 500,000 children across the region missed the first dose of measles vaccine (MCV1) to be given through routine immunization services.
“The measles incidents in Europe and Central Asia have been surged over the past two years, referring to the gap in vaccination range,” said Regina do Dominis, UNICEF Regional Director, Europe and Central Asia. “Protecting children from this deadly and debilitating disease requires urgent government action, including sustained investment in healthcare workers.”
Measles is one of the most contagious viruses that affect people. Measles can cause long-term debilitating health complications such as blindness, as well as hospitalization and death caused by complications such as pneumonia, encephalitis, diarrhea and dehydration. It can also damage the immune system by “erasing” memories of how to combat infections and making measles survivors vulnerable to other diseases. Vaccination is the best line of defense against the virus.
Less than 80% of eligible children in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, North Macedonia and Romania were vaccinated with MCV1 in 2023. In both Bosnia, Herzegovina and Montenegro, coverage rates for MCV1 remained below 70% and 50% for the past five years, respectively.
Romania reported the highest number of cases in the region in 2024, followed by 30, 692 cases and 28, 147 cases.
Measles remains a major global threat. In 2024, 359 521 cases of measles were reported worldwide. Virus transmission across boundaries and continents occurs regularly, and this highly infectious disease outbreak occurs where the virus finds pockets of people who have not been vaccinated, especially children.
With the support of people working with UNICEF and the government, as well as partners including the European Union and Vaccine Alliance to prevent and respond to measles outbreaks, through community engagement, training healthcare workers, strengthening immune programs and disease surveillance systems, and launching the Immunological Immunity Catch-up Campaign for Measles. It is seeking UNICEF and the government with aggressive outbreaks who are urgently intensifying, strengthening case discoveries, contacting, and running an emergency vaccination campaign. It is essential for countries to analyze the root causes of outbreaks, address weaknesses in their health systems, and strategically utilize epidemiological data to identify and close coverage gaps. Reaching hesitant parents and marginalized communities and addressing unfair access to vaccines must be at the heart of any effort.
Countries that do not have the current measles outbreak should be prepared, including identifying and addressing immunity gaps, building and maintaining public confidence in vaccines, and maintaining a strong health system.
