Is measles making a comeback? Fewer people vaccinated and a surge in cases in the South; vaccination campaigns for those aged 15–39

Measles is on the rise again in Italia. The figures, published in a circular from the Ministry of Health, are worrying, indicating a vaccination coverage rate below that recommended by the World Health Organisation (95 per cent with two doses), which could lead to a resurgence of outbreaks across Italia, but particularly in the south. The measles vaccination is administered in two doses: the first after the child’s first birthday, and the second at 5–6 years of age. The national average is 94.7 per cent, ranging from over 98 per cent in Lombardy and Molise to 88 per cent in Sicily. However, the situation changes drastically with the second dose. In this case, no region reaches 95 per cent and only seven are above 90 per cent. Here too, regional differences are wide: they range from 94.3 per cent in Umbria to 67.8 per cent in Sicily.

In the first five months of 2026, there were 472 confirmed cases of measles, representing a significant increase compared with 2025 (322) and just below the record number of cases in 2024 (509). Two years ago, 1,045 cases were reported, 946 of which were subsequently confirmed by laboratory tests. In 2025, the figure fell to 497 confirmed cases, whilst in 2026 experts are reporting a resurgence in infections, particularly in certain regions. Campania saw a rise from 18 reported cases in 2025 to 100 in 2026; Calabria rose from 17 to 265 cases; Lazio rose from 47 to 54 cases; and Tuscany jumped from 6 to 49 cases. With regard to hospital admissions, a percentage increase is also observed over time: from 49.5 per cent in 2024, to 56.3 per cent in 2025 and 57.8 per cent in 2026.

The circular confirms that over 90 per cent of infections occurred in unvaccinated people and almost 6 per cent in people who had received only one dose of the vaccine.

The age group most affected by measles infections is that of 15 to 39-year-olds (345 cases), followed by the 40–64 age group (124 cases) and the 0–4 age group (98 cases), It is therefore young adults who are most at risk, 94.7 per cent of whom are not immunised. Of particular epidemiological significance is also the proportion of cases amongst healthcare workers, with 55 cases out of 417 individuals with a known profession (13.2 per cent). Vaccination status data is available for 45 healthcare workers: 40 of these were unvaccinated, accounting for 88.9 per cent of the total.

 The figures set out in black and white in the Ministry of Health’s circular, signed by the Head of the Department of Prevention Maria Rosaria Campitiello, therefore highlight an increase in infections compared with the previous year, a concentration in specific adult age groups and geographical areas, and a significant impact of vaccination status on the incidence of the disease. Hence the need to take a two-pronged approach: on the one hand, ‘to promote targeted vaccination campaigns, with particular attention to unvaccinated young adults and high-risk groups’. On the other, “to strengthen surveillance systems”. In this regard, the Ministry emphasises that promptness in conducting epidemiological investigations and reporting suspected cases remains crucial. The circular also recommends checking the immunisation status of healthcare workers, carrying out risk communication activities aimed at both healthcare workers and the general public, and launching training initiatives designed to improve healthcare workers’ communication skills.