HEALTH authorities in southern Spain have sounded the alarm over a rising measles outbreak throughout Andalucia, with the Costa del Sol among the many worst affected areas.
The regional authorities confirmed this week that two new outbreaks had been detected within the provinces of Huelva and Almeria, pushing the whole variety of outbreaks in 2025 to 9.
The Ministry of Well being and Shopper Affairs stories that 56 instances have now been recorded throughout the area since January, with seven outbreaks nonetheless thought-about energetic.
READ MORE: EXPLAINER: How to obtain your Andalucía health card in Spain
Alarmingly, 41% of these affected have required hospital remedy, together with 4 instances difficult by pneumonia.
Regardless of Andalucia sustaining a vaccination fee above 95%, authorities have warned that the virus is probably going being imported.
Official figures present that 27% of instances have come from overseas, most of them from Morocco, with further instances linked to Belgium and Denmark.
Among the many regionally acquired infections, 12 instances haven’t any recognized origin and are unfold throughout municipalities together with Malaga, Marbella, Alora, Calañas, Huelva, and Palos de la Frontera.
In Malaga province alone, 32 instances have been reported.
The 2 newest confirmed outbreaks have been detected in El Ejido (Almeria), the place two Moroccan agricultural employees examined optimistic, and in Lucena del Puerto (Huelva), the place two instances have been confirmed in a Moroccan household and two extra stay underneath evaluation.
Of all reported instances, 41% are kids underneath 15, and 59% are adults.
Solely two people had acquired a single dose, 28 have been unvaccinated, and the remaining 26 had unknown vaccination histories.
Well being officers are urging all unvaccinated residents to come back ahead to cut back the chance of additional transmission, particularly to infants underneath 12 months who can’t but be vaccinated and at present make up 14% of the whole instances.
The surge in instances comes in opposition to a regarding worldwide backdrop.
Morocco has been battling a serious measles outbreak since October 2023, with over 40,000 reported instances and a minimum of 150 deaths.
Spanish well being authorities say the regional spike is being pushed by this cross-border unfold, coupled with the seasonal springtime uptick in measles transmission.
