186 in the previous year

AGES warns of further increase in measles cases

Child with measles (archive photo)(Bild: weerapat1003/stock.adobe.com)

The Agency for Health and Food Safety (AGES) warned on Friday of an increase in measles cases in Austria. While there were 186 cases in the previous year (see video above), there have already been 110 since the beginning of the year. This trend is likely to continue in other European countries.

In terms of the number of inhabitants, Romania, Liechtenstein and Austria recorded the most measles cases last year. France also reported some outbreaks. The increase had been observed since 2023, albeit well below the level of some previous years. In January and February 2024, as many as seven deaths were reported in the EU - six in Romania and one in Ireland.

"The good news is that this is a disease that can be prevented by vaccination and that many safe and effective vaccines are available in the EU," said Stella Kyriakides, EU Commissioner for Health.

Here you can see a graph of measles cases in the EU in 2023

Too few vaccinations
However, the Vienna Medical Association emphasized in a press release that there are serious vaccination gaps that must finally be closed. Vaccines must be made available in surgeries across the board, said Vice President Naghme Kamaleyan-Schmied. In addition, vaccination status should be checked during the annual check-up.

Child with measles (archive photo)(Bild: weerapat1003/stock.adobe.com)

According to the EU health authority ECDC, the season and imported cases from third countries are also contributing to an increase. "Further cases are to be expected", AGES emphasized on Friday. According to the authority, infants who are still too young to be vaccinated, unvaccinated children under the age of 5 and people with weakened immune systems are most at risk. They have a higher risk of severe cases than other population groups.

Highly contagious
Measles is highly contagious, unpleasant and can lead to pneumonia, meningitis and, years later, further brain disease. "Measles also weakens the immune system and children fall ill more often afterwards," said Thomas Czypionka, spokesperson for health at the Institute for Advanced Studies (IHS).