Romania Tops EU Measles Surge Amidst Vaccine Decline

Romania is facing a major measles epidemic , with officials reporting more than 35,000 cases and at least 30 deaths recorded between 2023 and 2025. The scale of the outbreak has made Romania the dominant contributor to the European Union’s measles burden in the most recent reporting year cited.

In 2024, Romania accounted for about 87% of all measles cases recorded in the European Union , according to the figures referenced in the source material. Other member states reported far fewer infections over the same period, including Italy with just over 1,000 cases.

Health professionals and data cited in the report link the surge to a sharp drop in vaccination coverage . The first dose of the MMR vaccine reached only 81% coverage by 18 months, while the second dose at age five fell to just over 60% nationally. Both levels are well below the 95% threshold described as necessary for herd immunity.

The decline marks a significant shift from earlier years . Vaccination coverage in Romania was above the European average of 93% in 2010, but the downward trend accelerated after the COVID-19 pandemic, the report said. The result has been a larger pool of unprotected children and greater opportunity for measles to spread.

Structural barriers are also cited as drivers of low uptake , including poverty, limited access to healthcare in rural areas, and a general practitioner system described as overburdened. These constraints can make routine immunisation harder to schedule and complete, particularly for families who face travel, time, or administrative hurdles.

Changes to how vaccines are delivered have added friction . Since 2015, responsibility for vaccine administration shifted exclusively to general practitioners, increasing bureaucracy and reducing the role of school nurses who previously served as a backstop for children who missed scheduled doses. Medical professionals quoted in the source, including Dr. Mirela Csabai and Dr. Mihai Negrea, said administrative bottlenecks and heavy reliance on GPs have slowed progress.

Doctors described paperwork and scheduling delays that can stretch to a month , which the report said can lead to missed windows and parental disengagement. In response, experts cited in the source advocated practical steps aimed at improving access, including community vaccination centres and expanding authority to administer vaccines to other medical professionals.

What remains uncertain is how quickly coverage can be restored to levels associated with herd immunity, given the combination of administrative constraints and uneven access to care. Officials and clinicians have pointed to delivery reforms as a key variable in whether Romania can reduce case numbers and align more closely with other EU member states.