The World Health Organization (WHO) has warned about the importance of vaccination, as it announced that measles cases in Europe have reached the highest level in 25 years. WHO’s Regional Director for Europe, Hans Kluge, emphasized the significance of vaccination in preventing the spread of the disease, stating that “Measles is back, and this is a wake-up call.”

In 2024, the WHO revealed that measles cases in Europe, including Central Asia, doubled, reaching the highest level in 25 years. The importance of vaccines to prevent the spread of the disease was highlighted. The European region, covering 53 countries and including Central Asia, recorded 127,350 measles cases and 38 deaths last year. Romania and Kazakhstan were the most affected countries, reporting 30,692 and 28,147 cases respectively. WHO stated that half of the cases in Europe required hospitalization, with 40% of cases affecting children under the age of five. “HEALTH SECURITY CANNOT BE ENSURED WITHOUT HIGH VACCINATION RATES”

Hans Kluge, the WHO Regional Director for Europe, emphasized the necessity of high vaccination rates for ensuring health security, stating, “Measles is back, and this is a wake-up call. Health security cannot be ensured without high vaccination rates.” Kluge called on authorities to intensify vaccination efforts to protect underserved and unvaccinated communities. In 2023, half a million children in the region did not receive their first dose of vaccines. Kluge issued a warning, stating, “Health security cannot be ensured without high vaccination rates.” WHAT IS MEASLES? HOW DOES IT SPREAD?

Measles, an extremely contagious disease, spreads through respiratory droplets and can remain in the air for up to two hours after an infected person has left the area. The disease causes fever, respiratory symptoms, and a rash, but can also lead to serious complications such as pneumonia, encephalitis, and death. In 2024, Europe accounted for one-third of measles cases worldwide. After a sharp decline following the reporting of 216,000 cases in 1997, measles reached its lowest level in Europe in 2016 with 4,440 cases. However, the disease resurfaced in 2018 and 2019, and following a decline in vaccinations during the Covid-19 pandemic, it has surged since 2023.