European health authorities recorded 2,335 measles cases across 30 EU and EEA member states during
- European health authorities recorded 2,335 measles cases across 30 EU and EEA member states during the twelve-month period ending August 31, 2026, according to surveillance data presented by...
- MesVaccins reported that 28 countries submitted data on measles for August 2026.
- Looking across the full twelve-month window from September 1, 2025, to August 31, 2026, six countries accounted for the vast majority of the 2,335 reported infections.
European health authorities recorded 2,335 measles cases across 30 EU and EEA member states during the twelve-month period ending August 31, 2026, according to surveillance data presented by MesVaccins based on an epidemiological update from the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control. Of those total infections, 87.4% received laboratory confirmation, highlighting persistent transmission across multiple countries despite long-standing vaccination recommendations.
Measles Cases Climb Across European Nations in August 2026
MesVaccins reported that 28 countries submitted data on measles for August 2026. Out of those reporting nations, 10 countries identified a collective total of 143 measles cases during the month, while 18 countries registered zero infections. Bulgaria led all nations with 62 cases, followed by Sweden with 41, Italy with 18, Spain with 9, and Germany with 6. Public health officials note that these figures remain subject to retrospective updates as countries complete their reporting.
Annual Totals and Regional Notification Rates Across the EU
Looking across the full twelve-month window from September 1, 2025, to August 31, 2026, six countries accounted for the vast majority of the 2,335 reported infections. Italy registered 653 cases, Bulgaria logged 564, Romania recorded 255, Spain found 230, France identified 146, and Germany detected 120. These nations represented 28.0%, 24.2%, 10.9%, 9.9%, 6.3%, and 5% of the regional total, respectively. Meanwhile, Hungary, Malta, Slovenia, Liechtenstein, and Croatia reported zero cases over the same annual period.
Notification rates exceeded the average EU and EEA benchmark of 5.1 cases per million inhabitants in several specific territories.
Imported Infections and Vaccination Status Breakdown
Epidemiological tracking classified 191 of the 2,335 total cases as imported infections, while 206 cases were tied to importation chains linked directly to an imported index case. Among the 2,068 patients whose precise age and immunization status were verified, 1,487 individuals—accounting for 71.9%—had no vaccination history. In addition, 342 patients had received a single vaccine dose, 193 individuals had received two or more doses, and 45 people had an unknown number of doses.
Persistent Gaps in Regional Vaccine Coverage
Public health guidelines call for a sustainable coverage rate of at least 95% for two doses of the measles vaccine. However, official WHO-UNICEF national immunization coverage estimates for 2024 demonstrate that only four EU and EEA countries—Cyprus, Hungary, Iceland, and Portugal—achieved the 95% threshold for both the first and second doses. France reported coverage rates of 95% for the first dose and 93% for the second dose in 2024.
Unresolved Surveillance and Immunization Challenges Ahead
European health monitoring systems continue to track whether upcoming retrospective reporting updates will alter the trajectory of late-summer case counts. It remains undetermined when vaccination coverage across lagging member states will reach the recommended 95% two-dose threshold necessary to halt sustained viral transmission.