Measles Cases Posted or Updated on 23 Mar 2025

Since 1 January 2025, there have been 151 laboratory confirmed measles cases reported in England. In 2024 there were 2,911 laboratory confirmed measles cases in England, the highest number of cases recorded annually, since 2012.

European Region reports highest number of measles cases in more than 25 years.

127 350 measles cases reported in the European Region for 2024 – double the number reported for 2023 and the highest number seen in the Region since 1997

In the most recent 12-month period, from 1 February 2024 to 31 January 2025, 30 EU/EEA Member States reported a total of 32 265 cases of measles.

Children under 5 accounted for more than 40% of reported cases in the Region – comprising 53 countries in Europe and central Asia. More than half of the reported cases required hospitalization. 

Measles is one of the most contagious viruses affecting people. As well as hospitalization and death caused by complications including pneumonia, encephalitis, diarrhoea and dehydration, measles can cause long-term, debilitating health complications such as blindness. It can also damage the immune system by “erasing" its memory of how to fight infections, leaving measles survivors vulnerable to other diseases. Vaccination is the best line of defence against the virus.

Transmission of the virus across borders and continents occurs regularly, and outbreaks of this highly infectious disease will occur wherever the virus finds pockets of un- or under-vaccinated people, particularly children.

The MMR vaccine gives protection against three serious diseases: measles, mumps, and rubella. Please contact the surgery if you need more information.

For further information please see -

Measles - NHS

Measles | Vaccine Knowledge Project