Overview
- Austria lost its measles elimination status following WHO verification of 2024 data, ending an eight‑year stretch in which the country was considered measles‑free.
- Austria recorded 542 cases in 2024 and has already confirmed two cases in early 2026, with officials warning of ongoing risk due to delayed childhood vaccination.
- The revocation also applies to the United Kingdom, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Spain and Uzbekistan; the UK reported 3,681 cases in 2024 after previously holding elimination status.
- Europe logged 127,350 measles cases in 2024, the highest regional total since 1997, with Germany reporting 645 cases as national tallies climbed sharply.
- WHO and UNICEF point to sustained immunity gaps and missed vaccinations, noting that more than 40% of recent European cases were in children under five and over half required hospitalization, and they urge accelerated catch‑up shots and stronger surveillance.