London / Geneva: The World Health Organization (WHO) has confirmed that Britain, along with several other European countries, has lost its measles elimination status due to a surge in infections across the continent. The announcement was made on Monday following data analysis from 2024.
Other countries affected include Spain, Austria, Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Uzbekistan. The WHO urged governments to strengthen vaccination programs, especially for under-protected groups, to prevent measles from spreading further among children.
Measles Remains a Threat Despite Being Preventable
Measles is a highly contagious viral disease that can be fully prevented through vaccination. While it typically causes high fever and skin rash, the virus can also result in serious long-term health complications or even death if left untreated.
Health experts say that the resurgence of measles signals declining vaccination coverage in many populations, a trend that has intensified since the COVID-19 pandemic due to growing vaccine hesitancy.
“The UK’s status change highlights a wider challenge across the WHO European Region,” the UN health agency said. Countries such as France and Romania already report ongoing measles transmission.
Global Context: North America
The US is currently struggling to maintain its measles-free status, while Canada lost the designation last year. The WHO evaluates each country’s status based on case numbers and the absence of locally transmitted strains for 12 consecutive months.
Vaccination Rates Below WHO Targets
The WHO recommends that over 95% of children receive two doses of the measles vaccine to maintain elimination. However, in the UK, only 84.4% of children were fully vaccinated in 2024. That year, 2,911 confirmed cases were reported in England — the highest since 2012.
The UK Health Security Agency has reiterated the importance of vaccinating all children to protect against measles. The UK first achieved measles elimination status in 2016, lost it in 2018, and regained it in 2021, before now losing it again.
WHO Calls for Urgent Action
The WHO is urging countries across Europe to increase vaccination coverage, particularly in communities with low protection, to prevent a further rise in measles outbreaks.