Outbreak of measles cases both in European Union countries and in countries outside the European Union observed according to recent international epidemiological data

European Union

From 1/01/2023 to 31/12/2023 they were declared 2,361 confirmed cases of measles from 23 countries of the European Union.

The majority of cases are observed in Romania (1,755), Austria (186), France (118), Germany (82), Belgium (69), Poland (37), Italy (44), Spain (13) and Sweden (11) ). The remaining countries have reported less than 10 confirmed cases in the corresponding period.

From 5-6/02/2024, 1,861 new suspected or confirmed measles cases were reported from nine European Union countries, of which 1,737 were in Romania. The remaining 124 confirmed cases were reported by Austria (27), Estonia (1), Germany (18), Greece (3), Hungary (6), Iceland (1), Ireland (1), Italy (27), and Portugal (6).

In 2024, 4 measles-related deaths have been reported in the European Union.

As regards the countries of the European Union, special caution is advised to travelers to Romania.

Outbreak of measles in countries outside the European Union

From 1-24/01/2024 they were declared two confirmed cases of measles from Switzerland. In addition, a confluence of six confirmed cases at an international educational institution was announced by the media.

From 1/01 – 31/12/2023 from the United Kingdom declared 368 confirmed cases of measles.

From 1/01- 31/12 2023, 40,299 cases were reported through the WHO/EURO regional office in countries outside the EU, mainly in Kazakhstan (13,662), Russia (10,954), Kyrgyzstan (5,486), Turkey (4,559), Azerbaijan (3,316), Uzbekistan (1,026), and Armenia (518).

In the context of the vigilance of the Ministry of Health and the EODY, with the aim of dealing with a possible increase in measles cases in the Greek population, travelers, children and adults, to countries with outbreaks are recommended to confirm their full vaccination with two doses of the mixed measles-rubella-mumps vaccine (MMR vaccine) before travel.

In accordance with National Immunization Programchildren, adolescents and adults born after 1970 who do not have a history of the disease should be vaccinated with 2 doses of measles vaccine.

It is pointed out that travelers, children and adults, abroad, it is advisable to check and update their basic vaccination for all required vaccines, according to the guidelines of the National Immunization Program.