The World Health Organization (WHO) has reported a significant surge in measles cases across Europe, exceeding 30,000 between January and October 2023, marking a 30-fold increase compared to 2022.
The organisation stressed the need for “urgent” vaccination efforts to curb the spread of the highly contagious disease.
The reported cases spanned 40 out of the 53 nations in the WHO’s Europe region—Russia and Central Asia. Russia and Kazakhstan experienced the highest number of cases, each reporting 10,000 instances. In Western Europe, the United Kingdom recorded the most cases, totaling 183, AFP reported.
The decline in vaccination rates against measles during the COVID-19 pandemic contributed to the surge in cases. The WHO stressed the importance of swift vaccination efforts to interrupt transmission and prevent further escalation of the outbreak.
Between 2020 and 2022, approximately 1.8 million infants in the WHO’s Europe region missed measles vaccinations, underscoring the urgency for comprehensive vaccination strategies.
The WHO further stressed the necessity for all countries to be prepared to detect and respond promptly to measles outbreaks, crucial for maintaining progress towards measles elimination.
Globally, measles vaccination rates have been on the decline, with 83 percent of children receiving a first measles vaccine in 2022 during their first year of life. This marked a decrease from 86 percent pre-pandemic, highlighting the impact of disrupted healthcare services.
In 2021, an estimated 128,000 measles-related deaths occurred worldwide, primarily affecting under-vaccinated or unvaccinated children under the age of five.
