Italy has recorded 472 measles cases in the first five months of 2026, while doctors warn that low second-dose vaccination rates are leaving the country vulnerable to a wider outbreak.
Italy is confronting a renewed measles surge that public health officials say is being driven by low vaccination uptake and gaps in second-dose coverage. According to the Italian health ministry, cases have risen sharply in several parts of the country, with Campania, Calabria, Lazio and Tuscany among the regions showing the strongest increases. Data cited by ANSA and Agenzia Nova show that Italy recorded 472 confirmed cases in the first five months of 2026, up from 322 in the same period a year earlier, underlining how quickly the outbreak has accelerated.
Matteo Bassetti, director of the infectious diseases clinic at IRCCS San Martino in Genoa, has warned that Liguria is now facing a particularly serious cluster. In comments reported by Il Fatto Quotidiano, he said the region had seen 12 cases in just 20 days, including four patients hospitalised with severe complications involving the lungs, liver and nervous system. Bassetti described the situation as an unprecedented outbreak for Liguria and said Italy may only be at the beginning of a much larger epidemic.
The concern is amplified by the fact that measles is among the most contagious viral infections known. Health experts say controlling transmission requires very high immunity in the population, with two-dose vaccination coverage needing to stay at about 95% to prevent sustained spread. Yet Italy’s second-dose coverage is still below that threshold, averaging 84.45% nationally, with no region reaching the level needed for robust protection.
The youngest children are bearing the greatest risk, especially those under 12 months who are too young for the first dose of vaccine. The Italian Society of Paediatrics has argued that closing vaccination gaps is essential not only for individual protection but also to shield infants and other vulnerable people who depend on community immunity. The ministry has urged stronger surveillance and targeted vaccination efforts, particularly among young adults aged 15 to 39, a group that health officials say now makes up most cases with known vaccination status.
Disclaimer: This content is for informational purposes only and is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical judgment, advice, diagnosis, or treatment.
