Switzerland sees a rise in measles cases, aligning with global trends despite high vaccination rates.

Measles is on the rise in Switzerland. The Federal Office of Public Health registered 87 cases of the infectious disease in 2024. There were 26 in 2023. There were no cases of measles in 2022 and 2021.

Looking at the period since last June, 103 cases have been recorded, according to the bulletin published by the Federal Office of Public Health (FOPH) on Monday. In the same period last year, there were only 27.

The federal government did not expect a major epidemic. The high vaccination coverage rate should prevent this. According to figures from February, the vaccination rate for infants is 94 %. The FOPH assumes that the cases often involve people infected abroad or smaller outbreaks in which the pathogen was introduced into Switzerland.

With this increase, Switzerland is part of a global trend. The World Health Organization (WHO) expects the number of measles infections to remain high in 2024. According to the latest data, the WHO registered around 94,000 cases by April 2024. In 2023, a good 320,000 people were confirmed to have been infected, an increase of almost 90 % compared to the previous year.

According to WHO estimates, 136,000 people died from measles in 2022, mainly children under the age of five. The vast majority of cases do not appear in international statistics. Measles is a life-threatening viral infectious disease that can be prevented by vaccination.

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