Europe’s Measles Surge Shows Signs of Easing Europe’s measles outbreak is showing signs of abating, though health officials warn the improvement could reverse at any time. In February, only 11 of 26 reporting countries logged new cases, with 139 total – the majority in Italy (63), Spain (36) and France (16). Greece has recorded no measles cases since July 2025. Between March 2025 and February 2026, the European Center for Disease Prevention and Control recorded 4,623 cases across the continent, concentrated in Romania, France, Italy, the Netherlands, and Spain. The ECDC attributes the outbreak to vaccination gaps, warning that public acceptance of vaccines is declining across the EU due to “vaccine fatigue” and misinformation – trends amplified since the Covid-19 pandemic. On a brighter note, all EU countries now recommend HPV vaccination for both boys and girls. Health EU The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) publishes monthly surveillance data on measles and rubella submitted by the 30 EU/EEA countries. ECDC also monitors European and worldwide measles outbreaks through epidemic intelligence and reports on them on a monthly basis in the Communicable Disease Threat Reports (CDTR). Measles remains a significant public health problem in Europe, including Türkiye, with an alarming increase in the number of reported cases in recent years. We reviewed the current epidemiological landscape of measles in Europe, explored the reasons for increase in the cases such as challenges in vaccination coverage, and present the future directions. According to an analysis by WHO and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), 127,350 measles cases were reported in the European Region for 2024 – double the number reported for 2023 and the highest number seen in the Region since 1997. Geneva/Copenhagen, 13 March 2025.
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