Measles cases in Europe have surged more than tenfold over the past year, with health authorities urging the public to ensure they are vaccinated against the highly contagious virus.
The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) has reported over 32,000 measles cases across the European Union, Iceland, Liechtenstein, and Norway from early 2024 to early 2025, a significant rise from fewer than 2,400 cases in 2023.
The ECDC has warned that cases are likely to continue rising in the coming months, as measles cases typically peak in the first half of the year. “This indicates that the virus is circulating in the region and the number of cases will probably increase during the spring of 2025,” the agency stated.
Romania has experienced the largest outbreak, with 27,568 reported cases, followed by Italy (1,097), Germany (637), Belgium (551), and Austria (542). However, all countries in the European Economic Area (EEA) have reported cases.
Tragically, 18 people in Romania and one in Ireland have died due to measles. The ECDC revealed that 86% of those infected were unvaccinated, with many of them being young children under 4 years old. “The ongoing transmission indicates gaps in vaccination coverage against this preventable illness – among children, adolescents and adults alike,” the agency noted.
Measles is extremely contagious, with unvaccinated individuals at risk of infection even if they enter a room where an infected person coughed or sneezed up to two hours earlier, even if the person has since left the area.
