Already 267 measles cases

“Vaccinate before it blows up in our faces!”

15,500 children under the age of one did not receive a measles vaccination at all in 2022.(Bild: Aleksandr - stock.adobe.com)

The measles epidemic in Austria is not abating. On the contrary: within a week, the number of cases has risen by almost 50 to 267. Virologists are already talking about a "peak measles year" - and are advising (free) vaccination.

The complication rate is 20 percent. 15,500 children under the age of one had not received a measles vaccination at all in 2022. "The time for vaccination is now. Before it blows up in our faces," warned Viennese virologist Lukas Weseslindtner.

On Wednesday last week, the expert reported 219 laboratory-confirmed measles cases at the pharmacist training conference in Schladming with a deadline of March 5. Up to and including Tuesday of this week (March 12), there were already 267 cases, an increase of 48 cases.

Graphic: Measles cases in 2023

"Peak measles year"
"We are in a peak measles year", said the virologist. The trend looks dramatic in a longer-term comparison. In 2021 and 2022, only 0.1 measles cases per million inhabitants were registered in Austria. They were thus de facto eliminated.

In 2023, the incidence of the highly contagious viral disease in Austria rose to 20.4 cases per million inhabitants (a total of 186 cases within one year). As of Tuesday this week, Austria already had an incidence of 23.8 cases per million people.

15,500 children completely unvaccinated
The situation among Austrian children is alarming. "Among one-year-olds, 18 percent, or 15,500 children, are completely unvaccinated. Ideally, a vaccination coverage rate of 95% should already be achieved in this age group for the second partial vaccination," according to the Austrian Ministry of Health's short report on measles for 2022 (latest available figures). 32,000 children in their first year of life would only have had one measles vaccination instead of the two recommended ones.

15,500 children under the age of one did not receive a measles vaccination at all in 2022.(Bild: Aleksandr - stock.adobe.com)

Faktencheck

Wirkung belegt: Masernimpfung schützt vor Risiken

In childhood and adolescence, one in 1,000 to 2,000 of those affected develop measles encephalitis (frequency of permanent damage: 30 percent). In the case of an infection under the age of one, the incidence of subacute sclerosing panencephalitis, which occurs years later and is always fatal, is one in 600.

"One of the most contagious human diseases of all"
The German Robert Koch Institute (RKI) describes measles as "one of the most infectious human diseases of all". Measles viruses "are transmitted by inhaling infectious droplets (speaking, coughing, sneezing) or via droplets and through contact with infectious secretions from the nose or throat." The measles virus leads to infection even "after brief exposure and triggers clinical symptoms in almost all unprotected infected people." According to the RKI, the most effective protection against it is a vaccination. The statement that on average one child dies from measles in four years and three children die from the vaccination is completely unfounded. 

Protection only with a second vaccination
Vaccination is strongly recommended for all babies aged nine months and over. Only with a second vaccination is there protection of more than 95 percent (98 to 99 percent). Everyone should be protected. This is why the measles vaccination (MMR) is currently offered free of charge to everyone throughout Austria without age restrictions. The immune system is often weakened for months or even years after a measles infection. Measles cannot be contained by hygiene measures alone, as is sometimes said.