Romania is facing a severe measles crisis, with a yearslong outbreak exacerbated by vaccine hesitancy, a struggling healthcare system, and conflicting health advice.
The country has the lowest measles vaccination rate in the European Union, with just 62 percent of the population fully immunized as of 2023—well below the 95 percent threshold necessary to protect vulnerable groups, such as infants and those with weakened immune systems.
As a result, Romania is experiencing deadly outbreaks. While the last measles epidemic ended in 2020, a new outbreak was declared by the government in December 2023. In 2023, approximately 31,000 people contracted measles, and 22 died, with 44 percent of the cases occurring among unvaccinated children under five. Unfortunately, there is no specific treatment for the disease.
Although Romania’s outbreak is the largest in Europe, other countries are also grappling with measles. Italy, Germany, Belgium, Austria, and France have each reported hundreds of cases over the past year, with infections expected to rise. Experts warn that Romania’s crisis may be a sign of things to come across Europe.
“The challenge is all over the region,” said Dr. Dragan Jankovic, who leads measles elimination efforts at the WHO’s Europe office. “2024 was the worst possible year for measles in Europe since the 1990s. That’s why we need countries to take action and start immunizing those who are not immunized.”
Romania’s vaccination rates were once comparable to other EU countries, but they began to decline in the 2010s due to increasing vaccine hesitancy, delayed immunizations, children missing follow-up appointments, limited vaccine availability, and a significant loss of doctors, according to a study by the national public health institute.
