The countries of the European Union and the European Economic Space notified a total of 35,212 measles cases during 2024, which represents an increase of ten times compared to the 3,973 cases registered the previous year. This is revealed by the Annual Epidemiological Report on measles published by the European Center for Disease Prevention and Control, which qualifies these data such as worst in the last two decades.
This rebound is attributed to the fall of vaccination coverage during pandemic and warns that the seasonal pattern of the virus, with peaks between February and July, has once again manifested itself after several years of low activity.
Romania concentrates 87% of cases
Romania leads the ranking with 30,692 cases. They are followed by Austria, Belgium and Ireland with also high rates. All member countries notified cases in 2024, except Latvia and Liechtenstein. Measles affected all age stripes, with special incidence in children under one year and children between 1 and 4 years. In Spain, 38.5 % of cases occurred in adults over 30, a trend also visible in Italy, France and Poland.
So far from 2025, Spain has registered a notable increase in measles cases, with 179 confirmed diagnoses until the end of March, a figure that almost multiplies by seven cases of the same period in 2024. The most recent outbreak in Spain has been detected in Malaga, with a confirmed case and two probable in health professionals. Most cases in the country are related to imports from Morocco and Romania, countries that face significant outbreaks.
Although Spain maintains high vaccination coverage, with 97.8% in the first dose and 94.4% in the second, health authorities warn that it is essential to reach and maintain a 95% coverage in both doses to guarantee collective immunity.
