Measles cases rise 40-fold across Europe after lower vaccine uptake

Measles is rapidly spreading across Europe with a 40-fold rise in cases over the past year, health chiefs have said.

The World Health Organisation says 42,200 measles cases had been reported in 2023, compared with 941 cases in 2022. Picture: iStock

Measles is rapidly spreading across Europe with a 40-fold rise in cases over the past year, health chiefs have said.

The World Health Organisation said there had been an “alarming resurgence” of the virus across the continent, adding that 42,200 cases had been reported in 2023, compared with 941 cases in 2022.

It said the spread of measles had “accelerated in recent months”, killing five children across Europe and putting 21,000 in hospital.

Britain is experiencing its biggest outbreak since the 1990s and experts have warned that “the clock is ticking” to vaccinate children before there are deaths. Measles was declared to be eradicated from the UK in 2017, but falling vaccination rates since then have allowed it to re-emerge as a significant threat to children.

Vaccine uptake of the second MMR dose has fallen to 85 per cent in England and 3.4 million under-16s, including those waiting for their second dose, are thought to be susceptible to the disease, which can cause life-threatening complications. This pattern of declining uptake has been mirrored across Europe, as millions of children missed out on doses during the pandemic.

Hans Kluge, WHO regional director for Europe, said: “Vaccination is the only way to protect children from this potentially dangerous disease. Urgent vaccination efforts are needed to halt transmission and prevent further spread. 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 WHO said that in addition to falling vaccine uptake, more people were travelling abroad after Covid-19, increasing the risk of cross-border transmission.

Two doses of the MMR vaccine are needed for maximum lifelong protection, with the first dose given around the child’s first birthday, and the second at three years and four months.

A national health incident has been declared in the UK due to a measles outbreak, with most cases in Birmingham. Latest figures show there have been 216 confirmed cases and 103 probable cases in the West Midlands region since October 1 last year.

This week the NHS is sending letters to parents of unvaccinated children, and setting up pop-up vaccine clinics to target communities with low vaccination rates, particularly in ethnic minority areas.

On Tuesday council leaders and public health directors across England and Wales called on parents to urgently ensure their children have had both doses of the MMR vaccine.

David Fothergill, of the Local Government Association, said: “Vaccination provides the best protection for your children, and it is not too late to come forward.”

The Times