Measles, an extremely contagious disease, is alarmingly returning in many regions of the world, including Europe, due to a decrease in vaccination.

According to a report by the World Health Organization (WHO), measles cases have increased by 47% in Europe and Central Asia in 2024, and globally, approximately 11 million infections have been reported. Although the number of deaths has decreased compared to the year 2000, in 2024 nearly 95,000 people died, most of them children under five years old. WHO emphasizes that vaccination has saved nearly 59 million lives, but the decline in vaccination coverage, with only 84% of children receiving the first dose, has led to the re-emergence of outbreaks.

The organization warns that outbreaks can occur even in countries with good coverage if there are significant unvaccinated groups. Measles can cause severe complications, and WHO calls for intensified vaccination efforts to prevent these outbreaks and save lives.