RESEARCH PAPER
Measles in Poland in 2024
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Zakład Epidemiologii Chorób Zakaźnych i Nadzoru,
Narodowy Instytut Zdrowia Publicznego PZH – Państwowy Instytut Badawczy
Submission date: 2026-02-05
Final revision date: 2026-07-06
Acceptance date: 2026-07-18
Online publication date: 2026-08-10
Corresponding author
Karolina Mrozowska-Nyckowska
Zakład Epidemiologii Chorób Zakaźnych i Nadzoru,
Narodowy Instytut Zdrowia Publicznego PZH – Państwowy Instytut Badawczy
Jakub Maciej Zbrzeżniak
Zakład Epidemiologii Chorób Zakaźnych i Nadzoru,
Narodowy Instytut Zdrowia Publicznego PZH – Państwowy Instytut Badawczy
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ABSTRACT
Background: Measles remains one of the most contagious viral diseases, and its elimination in the WHO European Region requires maintaining high vaccination rates and effective epidemiological surveillance. Following the COVID-19 pandemic, many European countries, including Poland, are seeing a renewed increase in the number of cases. Objective: The aim of the study was to assess the epidemiological situation of measles in Poland in 2024, taking into account the vaccination status of the population against measles and the degree of implementation of the World Health Organization (WHO) measles eradication program in Poland. Material and methods: The epidemiological situation of measles in Poland in 2024 was assessed using data obtained from the national infectious disease surveillance system, recorded by the local sanitary and epidemiological stations in the Epibaza system. Additional information was obtained from the annual bulletins “Infectious Diseases and Poisonings in Poland” and “Vaccinations in Poland” for the years 2015-2024. Results: In 2024, an increase in the number of measles cases was recorded in Poland. A total of 272 cases were reported (incidence rate 0.72/100,000), compared with 35 cases in 2023 (0.09/100,000), representing representing more than a sevenfold increase, largely due to the very low number of cases in the previous year. The rise in reported cases was associated with several measles outbreaks, primarily in the Mazowieckie and Dolnośląskie voivodeships. Altogether, 23 outbreaks were identified. Analysis in relation to the pre-COVID-19 period (2019) indicates a persistently lower incidence rate. In 2019, 1,502 cases were reported (3.31/100,000). Compared with the median for 2018-2022, the number of cases in 2024 was more than eight times higher. The highest incidence was observed among children aged 0-9 years. The increase in cases and hospitalizations coincided with a decline in vaccination coverage below 95%, increasing the risk of local outbreaks. Conclusions: Maintaining measles elimination in Poland requires sustaining at least 95% coverage with two doses of the measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine. This should be supported by continued routine immunization, catch-up vaccination of susceptible individuals, and further strengthening of epidemiological and laboratory surveillance, including molecular characterization of circulating measles viruses.