Reports of measles outbreaks continue to cause concern. Recently, the World Health Organization (WHO) sounded the alarm several times in view of the increasing number of cases. Outbreaks can also occur in Germany – as is currently the case in North Rhine-Westphalia. What are the reasons?
Measles is a serious infectious disease, highly contagious and potentially fatal. That’s why the World Health Organization (WHO) has long been trying to eradicate the measles virus. A fight that keeps getting set back: As the WHO Regional Office for Europe recently announced, an increase in measles cases was recorded again last year in the region that extends to Central Asia. Specifically, between January and October 2023, over 30,000 cases of measles were reported by 40 of the 53 Member States – compared to 941 cases in all of 2022.
In Germany, too, reports of local outbreaks repeatedly cause uncertainty – as is currently the case in North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW).
What are the reasons for the increase observed across Europe? What role do vaccine skeptics play in this? And what is known about the situation in Germany? Answers to the most important questions.