Measles, once nearly eliminated in many parts of the world, has made a dangerous comeback in 2025. This highly contagious disease has spread rapidly across continents, affecting both developing nations struggling with poverty and conflict, and wealthy countries where vaccination rates have declined. Understanding what’s happening worldwide helps us see how interconnected our global health really is.
A Global Picture of Concern
When we examine measles today, we see a story that spans from remote villages in Afghanistan to suburban communities in Texas. The numbers tell a sobering tale: globally, an estimated in 2023, and 2025 has brought even more cases. What makes this particularly troubling is that measles is entirely preventable through vaccination.
Measles spreads through the air when an infected person coughs or sneezes. It’s so contagious that if one person has measles, up to 90% of the people around them who aren’t immune will also contract the infection. The disease begins with symptoms that may resemble a cold or flu-like illness: fever, cough, runny nose, and red, watery eyes. Then comes the telltale rash, spreading from the head down to the feet. But measles isn’t just an uncomfortable childhood illness. It can cause serious complications, including brain swelling, pneumonia, and death, particularly in young children and adults.
The Devastating Toll in Developing Nations
The hardest-hit regions in 2025 have been countries already struggling with poverty, conflict, and weak healthcare systems. In have been reported, making it one of the world’s most severe outbreaks. The situation became so dire that Morocco launched a nationwide vaccination campaign targeting everyone under 18 years old.
In Afghanistan, where healthcare has collapsed following years of conflict, during the first eight weeks of 2025. Their medical teams treated nearly 5,000 suspected measles cases at just three hospitals during this short period. This represents a heartbreaking increase compared to 2024, showing how quickly measles can spread in vulnerable populations.
Indonesia faced its own crisis when during a measles outbreak in East Java province. More than 2,000 children became infected over eight months, prompting authorities to launch an emergency vaccination campaign. The outbreak highlighted how vaccination coverage of just 72% nationally, with some provinces below 50%, leaves children dangerously exposed.
Africa has seen widespread outbreaks across multiple countries. The Democratic Republic of Congo reported across nearly all of its 26 provinces by July 2025. Somalia, Sudan, Yemen, and other nations in the Eastern Mediterranean region have also experienced large outbreaks, with eight countries in this region alone reporting approximately 105,000 confirmed cases between July 2024 and June 2025.
The Western Pacific region saw a between 2022 and 2024, with the crisis continuing into 2025. Vietnam recorded over 81,000 suspected cases across all its provinces, while Mongolia reported 8 deaths and hundreds of hospitalizations.
Europe’s Unexpected Struggle
Perhaps more surprising has been Europe’s battle with measles in 2025. The European region, which includes 53 countries from Western Europe to Central Asia, experienced its , with 127,350 cases reported in 2024, and the crisis continued into 2025.
Romania has been particularly affected, reporting through April 2025. The country’s outbreak has been driven by anti-vaccine sentiment, conflicting health guidance, and healthcare system challenges. With vaccination rates at just 62% in 2023, far below the 95% needed to prevent outbreaks, Romania illustrates how quickly measles can take hold when vaccination coverage drops.
Across Europe, the story is similar. Countries like Austria, Cyprus, France, Germany, the Netherlands, and Portugal have all reported ongoing outbreaks. The United Kingdom has seen cases , with health officials warning travelers about the risk of bringing measles back from European vacation destinations.
The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control found that , highlighting how the disease primarily affects those without protection. Vaccination rates across Europe have struggled to return to pre-pandemic levels, with coverage of the second MMR dose between 2019 and 2024.
The United States Faces Its Largest Outbreak in Decades
The United States, which declared measles eliminated in 2000, experienced its in 2025. As of late September, have been reported across 42 states, with 40 outbreaks recorded throughout the year.
The majority of U.S. cases stem from a massive outbreak that began in January 2025 in close-knit communities across New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Texas. By April, this single outbreak had caused reported at that time. The outbreak affected communities with low vaccination rates and frequent travel between similar communities across multiple states.
The human cost has been severe. , with nearly a third of those hospitalized being children and teenagers. Three people have died from measles in the United States in 2025, including two unvaccinated school-aged children in Texas and one unvaccinated adult in New Mexico.
What’s particularly concerning is that . This pattern mirrors what we’re seeing globally: measles primarily affects those who haven’t been protected by vaccination.
North America’s Measles Crisis: Mexico and Canada Lead the Way
Mexico has emerged as one of North America’s most severely affected countries in 2025, with reported as of late August. The outbreak has been concentrated primarily in Chihuahua state, which borders Texas and accounts for with 3,932 infections. The crisis began when returned from a family trip to Texas, where measles was already circulating. Tragically, most deaths have occurred among indigenous communities, which have experienced than the general population. The rapid spread has been attributed to low vaccination coverage and frequent travel between under-vaccinated religious communities that span across international borders.
Canada's situation is equally concerning, with making it the country with the highest measles count in the Americas in 2025. Despite having achieved measles elimination status in 1998, Canada has reported . The outbreak has been particularly devastating for vulnerable populations, with reported when a premature baby was born to an unvaccinated mother in Ontario. Six other babies have been born with congenital measles in Ontario alone, though they have since recovered. The outbreak began in October 2024 when an internationally imported case attended a large gathering in New Brunswick, and it has since spread to multiple provinces. Public health officials warn that if transmission continues beyond October 2025, , a designation it has maintained for over two decades.
Why Measles Is Making This Comeback
The resurgence of measles in 2025 is a result of several converging factors. The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted routine childhood vaccination programs worldwide, leaving millions of children without protection. In 2023 alone, missed their first dose of the measles vaccine.
Vaccine hesitancy, fueled by misinformation spread through social media, has taken root in communities around the world. In Morocco, have been blamed for the current outbreak. Similar patterns of vaccine hesitancy have contributed to outbreaks in wealthy countries where high vaccination coverage was once the norm.
Global conflict and instability have created perfect conditions for measles to spread. In countries like Afghanistan, Yemen, and the Democratic Republic of Congo, ongoing conflicts have devastated healthcare systems and displaced populations, making vaccination campaigns nearly impossible to implement effectively.
International travel has also played a role. Most , bringing measles back from all six World Health Organization regions. As global measles cases rise, the risk of international spread increases.
The Path Forward
The good news is that measles remains entirely preventable through vaccination. The MMR vaccine (protecting against measles, mumps, and rubella) is safe, effective, and has been used successfully for decades. Two doses of the vaccine provide about 97% protection against measles.
Countries are responding with targeted vaccination campaigns. Indonesia launched drives to reach 78,000 children, while Morocco implemented nationwide catch-up vaccination for everyone under 18. Health officials worldwide are working to rebuild public trust in vaccines and counter misinformation with factual, science-based information.
For individuals, the message is clear: check your vaccination status and that of your family members. If you’re unsure whether you’ve received two MMR doses, contact your healthcare provider. It’s never too late to get vaccinated, and doing so not only protects you but also helps protect your community, especially those who cannot be vaccinated due to medical conditions.
The 2025 measles crisis serves as a stark reminder that infectious diseases don’t respect borders. What happens in one part of the world can quickly affect communities thousands of miles away. By maintaining high vaccination coverage everywhere, we can prevent measles from continuing its devastating global spread and protect the most vulnerable members of our communities.
The tools to end this crisis exist. What’s needed now is the collective will to use them, rebuild vaccination programs, and ensure that no child dies from a completely preventable disease. The story of measles in 2025 doesn’t have to continue being one of tragedy—it can become one of renewed commitment to global health and protection for all children.