Measles Cases Continue Across the EU/EEA in 2024

As outbreaks of vaccine-preventable diseases continue to occur in European countries, vaccinations and booster doses are recommended. Everyone should check with their healthcare providers to ensure they are up-to-date with recommended vaccines, says the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC).

Recently, the ECDC reported that between March 2023 and the end of February 2024, at least 5,770 measles cases, including at least five deaths, had been reported in the EU/EEA.

The European Union is a political and economic union of 27 European countries, while the European Economic Area is made up of 30 countries, including the EU, Iceland, Liechtenstein, and Norway.

As of 2024, the ECDC says 70% of measles outbreaks have occurred in those under ten, and 78% were contracted outside their countries or due to imported cases.

To inform international travelers, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recently listed the top ten international measles outbreaks led by Kazakhstan  (27,280), Azerbaijan, Iraq, and India.

In the U.S., the spike in measles cases this year was primarily reported in Chicago, Illinois.