More than 41,000 adults and children in Europe were infected with measles in the first 6 months of 2018, exceeding all 12-month totals in this decade, WHO announced today.

“Following the decade’s lowest number of cases in 2016, we are seeing a dramatic increase in infections and extended outbreaks,” Zsuzsanna Jakab, PhD, WHO Regional Director for Europe, said in a news release. “We call on all countries to immediately implement broad, context-appropriate measures to stop further spread of this disease. Good health for all starts with immunization, and as long as this disease is not eliminated we are failing to live up to our Sustainable Development Goal commitments.”