Two vaccine doses provide approximately 97-99 percent protection against measles, experts say.
Measles cases in Türkiye have surged to nearly 3,000 in October 2026, raising concerns over declining vaccination rates and the risk of further outbreaks, according to figures cited by the Turkish Medical Association and infectious disease specialists.
The highly contagious virus can infect 16 to 18 people through a single patient, making it one of the most transmissible infectious diseases. Cases in Türkiye rose from 127 in 2022 to 500 in 2023, 1,500 in 2024 and around 2,000 in 2025, according to World Health Organization data.
Experts say falling vaccination coverage, vaccine hesitancy and gaps in immunization tracking are contributing to the resurgence. Measles vaccination coverage in Türkiye has reportedly fallen to around 92 percent, below the 95 percent threshold considered necessary to prevent sustained transmission.
The measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine is administered free of charge through Türkiye’s national immunization program, with doses scheduled at 12 months and again at age four to six. Two doses provide protection to approximately 97-99 percent of recipients, experts say.
Infectious disease specialist Songül Özer warned that the disease is increasingly affecting adults as well as children and can cause serious complications. Around 30 percent of reported cases develop at least one complication such as pneumonia, encephalitis (inflammation of the brain) and subacute sclerosing panencephalitis (SSPE), according to experts.
