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The World Health Organisation (WHO) Regional Office for Europe has raised concerns regarding the number of measles cases in the Region. As of 25 February 2015, 22 000 cases have been reported in seven countries of the Region during 2014 and 2015. WHO is recommending booster doses of measles vaccination, as the goal to eliminate measles from the Region by the end of 2015, is under threat.
The worst affected country is Kyrgyzstan with more than 7000 cases reported in the first seven weeks of 2015. Further details below:
|
Country |
Measles Situation |
|
Bosnia and Herzegovina |
An outbreak is affecting the whole country. Since February 2014, a total of 5340 cases have been recorded. |
|
Georgia |
During 2013, 7872 cases were recorded in Georgia, in 2014, 3191 cases were recorded. As of 23 February 2015, around 100 cases have been reported. |
|
Germany |
As of 23 February 2015, a total of 626 cases have been reported in Germany since the beginning of the year. The majority of cases (540) are related to the outbreak occurring in Berlin. |
|
Italy |
During 2013, 2251 cases were recorded in Italy, in 2014, 1674 cases were recorded. Almost 90% of cases were reported from six regions: Piedmont, Emilia-Romagna, Liguria, Lazio, Lombardy and Sardinia. |
|
Kazakhstan |
During 2014, 317 cases were recorded in Kazakhstan. In January 2015, 220 new cases were reported. Supplemental immunisation activity (SIA) was initiated on 26 January 2015, in response to the increase in measles cases. |
|
Kyrgyzstan |
Currently, a measles outbreak is ongoing in Kyrgyzstan. As of 15 February 2015, 7477 cases have been recorded since May 2014. During the first 7 weeks of 2015, a total of 7000 cases were reported. |
|
Russian Federation |
During 2014, a total of 3247 cases were recorded across 71 federal districts of the country. All age groups were affected with a high percentage in the over 20s group. Supplementary immunisation activities are taking place in Dagestan and the Chechen Republic. |
WHO consider that outbreaks are continuing in the European Region because there are areas with susceptible individuals who are either unimmunised or partially immunised. The increasing number of parents choosing not to vaccinate their children and parents who have difficulty in accessing measles vaccination is adding to the problem.
Travel can increase the risk of exposure to measles and its spread into susceptible populations.
The World Health Organization urgently calls on European policy makers, health care workers and parents to immediately step up vaccination against measles across age groups at risk.
It should be confirmed that children have received their recommended doses of MMR at 12-15 months of age and again pre-school around 3 years 6 months, while unimmunised adults who have not had the disease themselves may consider vaccination if thought to be at risk. Two doses of MMR vaccine are required to give adequate protection.
