Measles cases are dropping, but is Europe out of danger?

Measles cases dropped significantly in Europe and Eurasia in 2025, according to a new report by the World Health Organization (WHO).

The agency announced a 75% decline, with cases reducing to 34,000 from nearly 130,000 in 2024.

It put the decrease down to stronger outbreak response measures and a gradual reduction in the number of people susceptible to the infection.

Kyrgyzstan had the highest incidence rate in the WHO Europe region (1,167 cases per million people, which caused a total of 11 deaths), followed by Romania with 222.

Despite Romania having the second-highest number of measles cases in the region, it still recorded a significant decrease from 2024, when it stood at more than 1,600.

Belgium was the only other EU country among the 10 hardest hit, with an incidence rate of 33 cases per million people.

Where did measles cases increase and where did they drop?

Despite the reduced numbers across Europe, the WHO warned that the risk is far from over.

The 2025 numbers remain higher than in most years since 2000, and many countries reported more cases in 2025 than in 2024, including Ukraine (+988), the Netherlands (+449), France (+393), Spain (+185), Georgia (+175) and Israel (+120).

The Czech Republic, Estonia and Latvia reported marginal increases in cases, all under 10 each.

Romania reported the largest overall drop in cases across the WHO Europe region, around 26,500, followed by Kazakhstan, with almost 24,000, and Russia, with more than 15,500.

Stronger vaccination campaigns needed in Europe

“The risk of outbreaks remains”, said the WHO. “Over 200,000 people in our region fell ill with measles in the past three years.”

“Unless every community reaches 95% vaccination coverage, closes immunity gaps across all ages, and strengthens disease surveillance and ensures timely outbreak response, this highly contagious virus will keep spreading”.

Measles vaccination averted nearly 59 million deaths between 2000 and 2024, the agency said.

Following a steep increase in cases in 2024, Armenia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Spain, the UK, and Uzbekistan lost their measles-free status.

When should children get vaccinated for measles?

Measles is an airborne virus that spreads easily through coughing and sneezing.

It’s one of the most contagious infectious diseases, roughly 12 times more contagious than influenza. For every one person who has measles, up to 18 other unvaccinated people could be infected.

Children typically receive the first vaccine dose between 12 and 15 months, followed by a second dose between four and six years of age.

Early symptoms, usually lasting up to seven days, include a running nose, cough, red and watery eyes, and small white spots inside the cheeks.

Complications, however, can cause severe breathing problems, including pneumonia, as well as blindness, ear infections and encephalitis, which can potentially lead to brain damage.