The measles experience a comeback. The cases of the once eliminated disease are increasing again – the number of 2024 has doubled in Europe compared to the previous year. The number of measles infections registered in Europe and Central Asia was as high as it was not in 27 years.
As announced by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the UN Kinderhilfswerk UNICEF, a good cases of 127,000 measles were reported in the European WHO region last year.
“The measles are back and this is a wake-up call”, Hans Kluge, WHO of the WHO-Regional Director for Europe, is quoted in the message. Without high vaccination rates there is no health security.
Most infections in young children
Romania, according to the WHO, was the country with the most measles infections in the region that includes Europe and Central Asia, followed by Kazakhstan with around 28,000 cases. In the entire WHO region, 40 percent of all registered infections were found in children under the age of five. According to the report, a good half of the sick had to be treated in the hospital. So far, 38 Deaths have been reported before 2024 as a result of measles (from 6 March 2025).
This year 56 cases in Austria
In Austria, 56 confirmed or probably measured diseases in the Epidemiological Reporting System (EMS) have been registered in Austria since the beginning of 2025 (Ages) (from 12 March). 15 people (27.8 percent) had to be treated in a hospital, one of them in intensive care. “Further measles diseases can be expected,” said the centuries.
In 2024 there were 542 registered measles infections in Austria. Of the 527 cases with the current information about hospitalization, 120 people (22.8 percent) were treated in the hospital, four of them in an intensive care unit.
Best protection against the virus is vaccination
Due to the COVID 19 -Pandemie, the vaccination rates have fallen as a whole in recent years. In many countries they are not yet at the position of before the pandemic. This fact increases the risk of outbreaks of illness.
Measles are one of the most infectious diseases for people. The virus causes symptoms in almost all unprotected people. This includes fever, cough and the typical rash that spreads throughout the body. Most cases cure without permanent consequences, but there is a risk of brain, lung and middle ear infection, which can cause permanent damage and death. Vaccination offers the best protection against the virus.
Source: Krone
I am Wallace Jones, an experienced journalist. I specialize in writing for the world section of Today Times Live. With over a decade of experience, I have developed an eye for detail when it comes to reporting on local and global stories. My passion lies in uncovering the truth through my investigative skills and creating thought-provoking content that resonates with readers worldwide.
