Measles outbreaks across Europe and Central Asia have intensified in the first quarter of 2024, with incidence rates hundreds of times higher than the U.S. In England and Wales alone, there have been approximately 4,200 cases of measles so far in 2024, which is 35 times the amount in the U.S. With rising numbers of measles cases domestically, the focus in the U.S. has been on the situation in Europe and Central Asia where the crisis level has been reached.
The U.K.’s Health Security Agency declared a “national incident” in response to the rise in cases, highlighting the growing public health risk. Childhood vaccine exemptions have also contributed to the drop in vaccination rates, with some regions showing rates as low as 50% for the measles, mumps, and rubella vaccination. Measles outbreaks have also affected adults, with reports of a man in his 40s dying of measles after contracting the virus during a trip to the U.K.
Eastern Europe, particularly Romania, and Russia have experienced large measles outbreaks, with several thousand cases reported. In Central Asia, Kyrgyzstan has seen a spike in measles cases, with a growing number of refusals for vaccination contributing to the problem. Public health officials are urging citizens not to refuse vaccination as measles can lead to serious complications including encephalitis or brain swelling.
Measles causes severe symptoms including high fever, congestion, red eyes, a rash, ear infections, pneumonia, and brain swelling. The virus can also wipe out preexisting antibodies, leading to a higher risk of reinfection. Public health experts warn of the seriousness of a measles infection, which can lead to hospitalization in 20% of cases. Concerns about waning herd immunity in the U.S. have been raised as immunization rates decline due to nonmedical vaccine exemptions.
Measles was once the leading killer of young children globally, but vaccination campaigns significantly reduced mortality rates. However, in areas with low vaccination rates, the disease continues to be a major threat to children’s health. The spread of misinformation about vaccines, particularly in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic, has led to an increase in vaccine hesitancy among parents. The resurgence of measles outbreaks in Europe and Central Asia serves as a stark reminder of the potential consequences of declining vaccination rates.
The DRC epidemic which ended in 2020 resulted in over 7,000 deaths, mostly among children under five years of age due to poor access to healthcare and acute malnutrition. While the epidemic in the DRC has ended, measles fatalities worldwide more than doubled from 2020 to 2022, highlighting the ongoing prevalence of the disease. The outbreaks in Europe and Central Asia serve as a cautionary tale for the U.S., where clusters of unvaccinated individuals could lead to similar grave consequences in the future.
