Health officials are warning of an increase in measles cases, although they say the likelihood of infection is low.

The Center for the Coordination of Alerts and Emergencies in Health (CCAES), dependent on the Ministry of Health, predicts an increase in the likelihood of the population living in Spain becoming infected with the measles virus at present due to the increase in cases of the disease. occurs worldwide, although infection rates are thought to be low due to high vaccination coverage.

In 2023, 14 confirmed cases were registered, of which 7 were imported. In 2024, in Spain, according to the latest data published by the National Epidemiological Surveillance Network, there were 249 suspected cases, of which 123 were laboratory confirmed, representing an increase of 778% compared to the previous year.

In addition, more than 20 outbreaks with a limited number of cases have been identified; transmission of the virus was observed in healthcare settings, with waiting rooms, emergency departments and hospitalization areas identified as areas where transmission occurred.

In some autonomous communities, transmission occurs among unvaccinated populations, mainly from other countries where there are currently high levels of transmission; Transmission is particularly common among agricultural workers who move between autonomous communities.

In these cases, it affects the potential for transmission among susceptible populations in which adequate vaccination coverage has not been achieved, or among those who have not previously had the disease. In this sense, while high incidence situations persist in some neighboring countries, it is expected that cases and outbreaks will continue to occur among populations that are not immune to the disease.

In the current environment, “it is necessary to maintain high levels of case detection and early implementation of public health measures in our territory.” And therefore, “efforts must be made to achieve and maintain high levels of vaccination coverage in all autonomous communities and cities.”

Since the end of 2022, an increase in the number of measles cases and outbreaks has been detected worldwide, which continued to increase throughout 2023 and 2024. In the European Union, more than 10,000 cases of measles have been reported in recent months. . Romania is the most affected country: 80% of cases. In Spain, measles elimination has been ongoing since 2016, and average vaccination coverage is more than 90% with 2 doses and 95% with 1 dose.