WHO: Measles cases surged in Europe in 2023

COPENHAGEN: Measles cases soared in Europe in 2023 to 42,200, a nearly 45-fold increase over the previous year, the World Health Organization (WHO) said on Tuesday, calling for urgent vaccination efforts to halt the spread.

Some 41 countries out of 53 the United Nations health agency includes in its Europe region reported the infectious disease, WHO said. In 2022, 941 cases were registered.

Vaccination rates against the disease slipped during the coronavirus pandemic, and “urgent vaccination efforts are needed to halt transmission and prevent further spread.”

Russia and Kazakhstan fared the worst, with 10,000 cases each from January to October last year. In Western Europe, the United Kingdom had the most cases, with 183.

The WHO also said there were nearly 21,000 hospitalizations and five measles-related deaths in the 10-month period, adding that “this is concerning.”

Some 1.8 million infants in the WHO’s Europe region were not vaccinated against measles between 2020 and 2022.

“It is vital that all countries are prepared to rapidly detect and timely respond to measles outbreaks, which could endanger progress towards measles elimination,” the agency said.

Measles is caused by a virus and spreads easily when people breathe, cough or sneeze. It is most common in children, but it can affect anyone.

Symptoms often include a rash, running nose, cough and watery eyes. Complications can be severe.

Measles vaccinations consist of two shots, usually one at nine months of age and the second at 15 to 18 months. The vaccine is often given along with one for mumps and rubella and is known as MMR.

At least 95 percent of children need to be fully vaccinated against the disease in a locality to prevent outbreaks.

Vaccination rates against measles have been dropping across the globe.

In 2022, 83 percent of children received a first measles vaccine during their first year of life, up from 81 percent coverage in 2021, but down from 86 percent before the pandemic and the lowest level since 2008, WHO said previously.

In 2022, only 92 percent of children in Europe received a second dose of the vaccine.

In 2021, there were an estimated 128,000 measles deaths worldwide, mostly among undervaccinated or unvaccinated children younger than 5.

WHO estimates that measles vaccines have helped prevent 56 million deaths between 2000 and 2021.