Morocco's measles epidemic spreads to Catalonia
In the first three months of 2025, 17 cases have been detected, half as many as in the whole of 2024. Measles was believed to have been eradicated in 2016.
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The new measles outbreak in Catalonia has put the Catalan public health system on alert. The disease was thought to have been eradicated in Catalonia in 2016 but has returned with a vengeance. According to the Ministry of Health, the number of infections will continue to rise in the coming months.
Morocco is experiencing a measles health crisis.
The main source of virus importation this year is Morocco, which is experiencing an alarming health crisis with 25,000 cases and 116 deaths between September 2023 and January 2025. Low vaccination rates and limited access to health services are causing a serious health problem. Catalonia, with its high mobility, is exposed to an unprecedented surge in infections.
The Ministry of Health has stepped up surveillance of travellers arriving from that country to prevent a massive outbreak.
More contagious than COVID-19
In comments to El Periódico, Jacobo Mendioroz, Deputy Director-General for Public Health Emergency Surveillance and Response, warns: «Measles is even more contagious than Covid-19 and we are dependent on what is happening around us.»
Measles is a highly contagious disease that spreads mainly through respiratory droplets when an infected person coughs or sneezes. Measles outbreaks tend to occur in areas where vaccination rates are low or where there is incomplete immunisation of the population. This allows the virus to spread rapidly among unvaccinated or inadequately protected people.
Vaccination in Catalonia reaches 95.1%
Vaccination coverage in Catalonia exceeds 95%, a very high rate that contributes to collective protection against measles. The risk now is the reintroduction of the virus from countries such as Morocco but also from Eastern countries like Romania, which have very low vaccination rates.
For this reason, the Ministry of Health has intensified its vaccination efforts, especially among groups that may not be fully immunised, such as adults born between 1966 and 1980. In addition to reinforcing childhood vaccination and that of vulnerable populations, health authorities maintain close surveillance to detect any suspected cases and act swiftly to contain their spread.
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