The number of measles cases is increasing in Europe, as revealed on January 24, the World Health Organization (WHO). These are “more than 30,000 cases measles (which) were in fact reported by 40 of the 53 Member States of the (European WHO, editor’s note) Region between January and October 2023”. It is more than 30 times more cases compared to 2022 and its 941 cases notified that year. In its news dated January 26, Santé Publique France recalls that “The measles virus is among the most contagious and there is no specific treatment for the disease.”
The WHO estimates that the increase in the number of measles cases “has accelerated in recent months, and this trend is expected to continue if urgent measures are not taken in the Region (WHO European region, editor’s note) to prevent the spread”. In total, these are 20,918 hospitalizations which have been reported due to this disease, leading to 2 deaths. The most affected countries are Kazakhstan (with 12,304 cases) and Russia with 6,131 cases. But in France too, the number of cases is also increasing, as Santé Publique France points out, although the data must be consolidated.
Upsurge in measles in Europe: what is the situation in France?
According to WHO figures, France is also experiencing an increase in the number of measles cases, going from 15 cases in 2022according to Public Health France, at 105 cases in 2023, according to the latest count from the UN organization. For its part, Santé Publique France specifies that the data showing a little more than a hundred cases in 2023 must still be consolidated, the “epidemiological assessment details of cases of measles occurring in France in 2023 will be published in the course of 1st quarter 2024”. “Only very high and maintained vaccination coverage could allow the disease to disappear definitively”specifies Santé Publique France which emphasizes that France is “close to the goal to eliminate the disease”.
But the number of cases could still increase in the coming weeks in Europe. “Considering the vaccination coverage sub-optimal for the second dose ≤95% in the majority of EU/EEA countries, we can expect that there will be more cases of measles in the coming months and in the spring”, underlines Public Health France. Questioned by the HuffPostBranka Horvat, research director at Inserm specializing in respiratory infections, believes that “it’s hard to predict” but “given that there is a increase in cases in other European countriesit would not be surprising if theincrease arrives in France”.
Measles: WHO recommendations to limit the risks of spread
In its press release of January 24, the WHO insisted on the importance of vaccination. “There vaccination is theonly way to protect children against this potentially dangerous disease”, recalled in the press release Doctor Hans Henri P. Kluge, WHO regional director for Europe. The latter calls for “vaccination activities” to lead from “as a matter of urgency to stop transmission and prevent the spread”.
As a reminder, the WHO recommends the administration of two doses for children “to ensure they are immune.” For countries where measles is present, it is recommended to do it at nine months. For others, between 12 and 15 months. For the second dose, it is generally administered between 12 and 28 months of age.
Sources:
- Thirty-fold increase in measles cases in 2023 in the WHO European Region warrants urgent action – WHO
- Measles (WHO)
- Table 1: Reported measles cases for the period November 2022—October 2023 (data as of 06 December 2023) – WHO EpiData
- Measles in France: virtual absence of circulation of the virus maintained in 2022 – Public Health France
- Cases of measles have increased 30-fold in Europe in one year, should we be worried in France? – HuffPost (01/28/2024)