Overview

• Measles cases in Europe surged to 42,200 in 2023, a nearly 45-fold increase from the previous year, with Russia and Kazakhstan having the most cases.
• The World Health Organization (WHO) has called for urgent vaccination efforts to halt the spread of the disease, as vaccination rates slipped during the Covid-19 pandemic.
• In the UK, there has been a significant rise in measles cases, with the West Midlands reporting the highest increase.
• In the US, declining vaccination rates are jeopardizing herd immunity and increasing the risk of measles outbreaks.
• In London, the boroughs of Hackney, Kensington and Chelsea, and Westminster have the lowest rates of MMR vaccination.