Measles and rubella monitoring, October 2012
The ECDC measles and rubella monitoring report presents regular updates on measles and rubella transmission in Europe based on reporting from EU and EEA/EFTA countries and ECDC epidemic intelligence activities. This enhanced surveillance report supports efforts by EU Member States and international partners to eliminate measles, rubella and congenital rubella syndrome in EU and the WHO region of Europe by 2015.
Executive Summary
According to the ECDC monthly measles and rubella report, nine European countries met the elimination target of less than 1 case per million population during the last 12 months. These are Bulgaria, Denmark, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Lithuania, Netherlands, Portugal, and Slovakia.
There were 5 360 reported cases of measles from January to August 2012 and 8 547 cases during the last 12-month period from September 2011 to August 2012. France, Italy, Romania, Spain and the United Kingdom contributed 92% of the notified measles cases.
There was no increase in cases at the European level during the peak transmission season from February to June this year. Although the UK Health Protection Agency (HPA) reports that the number of laboratory-confirmed cases of measles in the UK has doubled in 2012 compared to 2011. By the end of June 2012, 964 cases had been reported, compared to 497 in the same period of 2011.
Rubella
From 1 January to 31 August 2012, 25 570 cases of rubella were reported by 26 EU and EEA countries; 30 128 rubella cases were reported from September 2011 to August 2012. Poland and Romania accounted for 99% of all reported rubella cases during the last 12-month period.
