The European branch of the World Health Organization has warned that "the number of measles cases in Europe has risen significantly in 2023 compared to last year, calling for intensified vaccination efforts." Statistics published by the World Health Organization on Tuesday afternoon reveal that 42,200 cases were recorded in 2023 across 41 of the 53 member countries in the region extending to Central Asia, which is about 45 times more than the 941 cases reported in 2022. Kazakhstan and Russia are the most affected countries, with over ten thousand cases reported in each. In Western Europe, the most noticeable resurgence of the disease was in the United Kingdom, where 183 cases were recorded.
During the first ten months of 2023, the period covered by the WHO analysis, the increase was thirty times greater compared to the same period in 2022. A statement from WHO Regional Director Hans Kluge indicated that there was not only a 30-fold increase in measles cases in the region, but also about 21,000 hospital admissions and five deaths related to measles, which is concerning. He expressed that "urgent vaccination efforts are needed to stop the transmission and prevent its spread."
The resurgence of this highly contagious viral disease, which can cause deadly complications and spreads through the air, is attributed to a decline in vaccination coverage during the COVID years. The organization clarified that the COVID-19 pandemic had a significant impact on vaccination performance during this period, leading to a backlog of unvaccinated or under-vaccinated children. The WHO reported that more than 1.8 million infants in the region were not vaccinated against measles between 2020 and 2022.
This disease, which manifests as a rash preceded by nasal and conjunctival inflammation and severe cough accompanied by high fever and extreme fatigue, can affect all age groups.
