Measles resurgence in France in 2025
Since the beginning of 2025, mainland France has been facing a resurgence in measles cases . This increase comes in a context marked by epidemic outbreaks in Europe and around the world. The winter season and early spring are periods conducive to the spread of measles, which increases the risk of the virus spreading throughout the country given its high contagiousness.
In France, between January 1 and March 14, 2025, 180 cases of measles were reported, compared to 83 in 2024 over the same period.
These cases particularly affect children aged 1-4 (21.1%), infants under one year old (14.4%), young adults aged 30 to 39 (13.9%), and those over 40 (10.5%).
Among them, 82 (45.6%) were reported as being hospitalized (6 in intensive care), 35 (19.5%) presented a complication (including 20 pneumonias and 1 encephalitis).
In total, approximately 20% are imported from 7 different countries. Since the beginning of the year, there has been a notable increase in the number of imported measles cases, particularly from Morocco, where a historic epidemic is currently raging: 41 imported cases or cases linked to importation following a stay in Morocco have been reported since the beginning of the year in several regions of France, compared to 26 cases in 2024.
How contagious is measles? What is R0?
The virus is circulating in several departments of mainland France:
34 departments (33.6%) reported at least one case.
The most affected French departments are the North (55 cases), Val d'Oise (15 cases), Bouches du Rhône (13 cases), Ain and Alpes Maritimes (9 cases each).
Since the beginning of the year, 30 clusters of measles, resulting in 113 cases, have been reported to the Regional Health Agencies. Among these, seven measles outbreaks with more than five cases were reported in the Nord, Ain, Alpes-Maritimes, Bouches-du-Rhône, and Côte d'Or/Saône-et-Loire.
These outbreaks involved people from the Roma community or settled people of Romanian origin. Other outbreaks occurred in community settings (nurseries, high schools) or within hospitals or in connection with large gatherings (Parisian exhibition halls).
Faced with this situation, Public Health France is fully mobilized with professionals and reminds that:
Measles is a disease that must be reported upon clinical suspicion (without waiting for laboratory results).
Mandatory declaration form
Reporting and notification of measles cases
Control measures should be implemented around a suspected case among family and extra-family contacts (search for other cases, isolation in the waiting room, measures to exclude people from communities, identification of people in contact in communities or at risk of severe forms, post-exposure prophylaxis measures where appropriate).
Vaccination is an effective preventive measure: as such, it is important to check your vaccination status and, if necessary, catch up on vaccinations in accordance with the recommendations of the vaccination schedule . Vaccination of healthcare and early childhood professionals, particularly those who are in contact with children or immunocompromised people, is particularly important.
Travelers planning to visit a country where measles is endemic or in an epidemic phase are advised to update their vaccination status, namely: one dose of MMR vaccine for infants from the age of 6 months, and for people born before 1980 who are not protected against measles.