One of the most contagious diseases in the world, measles, is spreading in the European Union countries. This was reported by Euronews here.
In 2024, the number of measles cases in Europe and Central Asia reached 127,350, marking the highest figure since 1997.
Health authorities have warned that the number of cases could increase in the coming months. According to the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control, nearly 5,500 cases of measles were recorded across the European Union in 2025. There have been numerous cases among unvaccinated children under the age of 5 over the past year, the agency reported.
Measles is generally considered a mild or moderately severe disease. However, in some cases, it can lead to death. Vaccination can prevent the disease. The following image shows the regions with the highest number of cases by the end of April 2025.
The majority of measles cases in the European Union are in Romania. There were 3,605 cases reported at the end of April in the country. Three people have died. In 2023, only 62 percent of the population was fully vaccinated against measles, significantly below the 95 percent threshold needed to prevent the spread of the disease.
Up to the same period in 2025, France reported 526 cases of measles. This is partly due to a significant increase in cases brought to the country this year, it was emphasized. At least 41 cases are believed to have been brought from Morocco. In 2024, 26 cases were recorded. In 2023, 93 percent of the population in France was fully vaccinated. However, if there are unvaccinated people among the population, the disease can spread easily.
In the Netherlands, 371 cases of measles were reported in the first four months of 2025. More than 20 cases were identified among people who contracted measles in Morocco or Romania and then came to the country.
The Dutch health authorities have reported the presence of measles infection clusters, for example, in primary schools or child care facilities, with most cases occurring among children under the age of 10. The Netherlands has the lowest coverage rate for measles vaccination in the European Union at 81 percent, only lower in Romania and Cyprus (80 percent).
