Netherlands: one death from measles confirmed

A young adult in the Netherlands died this week because of a measles infection. It is the first measles death in the country since 2023 and the first adult death from the virus in over a decade. The death was confirmed by the Dutch public health institute RIVM on Thursday (June 12). According to the institute, the deceased person suffered from a serious immune disorder, which reduced the effect of vaccination and increased the severity of the illness and its complications.
So far this year, Dutch health authorities have confirmed 437 measles cases, more than double the total of 204 reported all last year. Around 2800 cases and 180 hospitalizations were reported during the last major outbreak in 2013-14 when one 17-year-old girl also died from the virus. Commenting on the recent death, the RIVM emphasized the importance of a high vaccination rate to protect young children and vulnerable individuals. Doctors in the country have already raised concerns about faltering childhood vaccination rates, with several municipalities well below 80%. The RIVM also acknowledged the general fall in vaccinations over the past decade, warning that it allows the disease to spread easily among the population.