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ReutersAccording to health officials, the number of measles cases in the European region has doubled to reach the highest level.
In a joint report of the World Health Organization (WHO) and the UNISEF Children’s Fund stated that children under the age of five were more than 40% of cases reported in Europe and Central Asia.
“Measles returned, and this is a call to wake,” said Hans Henri Kluge, the regional director of Europe. “No health safety levels without high vaccination levels.”
MMR vaccine – which with the immunization of people from measles, mumps and rubella – 97% effectively in the fight against a dangerous virus.
Measles is a very contagious disease that spreads coughing and sneezing.
Common symptoms include:
- High fever
- hurts, red and watery eyes
- cough
- sneeze
The measles virus can lead to pneumonia, brain edema and death.
A joint WHO/UNICEF analysis, which covers 53 countries, said 127 350 measures were registered in the European region – the highest since 1997.
A total of 38 deaths were registered by March 6, 2025.
Cases of measles, adding, declined since 1997, but the trend changed in 2018-19, and the cases increased significantly in 2023-24 years “after the immunization coverage during the Covid-19 pandemic pandemic.”
“The vaccination level in many countries will not yet return to the level of the pandemic, increasing the risk of outbreaks,” they warned.
In 2024, a third of all measles cases are in the European region, according to a joint analysis. In the area, Romania had the most cases – 30 692 – followed by Kazakhstan with 28 147.
The WHO/UNICEF statement concluded that measles remained a “significant global threat” and called on the governments where there were cases to take quick measures – and those where the virus did not come to be prepared.
Were Recently two deaths in the US Since the disease – considered “eliminated” in the US in 2000 – is also distributed there and throughout Canada.
The aforementioned vaccination indicators were accused of recent expulsion.
For example, in Europe, eight out of 10 people who were diagnosed with measles last year were not vaccinated, according to the European Disease Prevention and Control Center (ECDC).
According to 2023, they show that only four countries – Hungary, Malta, Portugal and Slovakia – met 95% vaccination threshold to prevent outbreaks, ECDC reports on Tuesday.
In the UK was also expressed concernFor the spread of the disease, since the vaccination level by two doses decreased below 90%.
Dr. Ben Kasan Dabush from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine warned people from trusting unverified information in their social media.
“We also learned from the COVID-19 vaccination program that misinformation can travel rapidly and can affect people’s decisions. It is important to remember that the vaccine information on social media may not be based on scientific evidence,” said Dr. Castan Debush.
