evidence: Measles is an acute, highly contagious viral disease capable of causing epidemics. Infectivity is close to 100% in susceptible individuals and in the pre-vaccine era measles would affect nearly every individual during childhood. Immunisation has dramatically reduced the incidence of measles in Europe but despite overall high immunisation coverage, measles continues to cause frequent outbreaks. Measles remains one of the leading causes of death among children globally. The elimination of measles and rubella as well as the prevention of congenital rubella syndrome forms part of a global elimination goal. Progress towards elimination is being monitored on an annual basis through a European Regional Verification Commission for Measles and Rubella Elimination (RVC) established in 2011. [...] - Case fatality is 1–3 per 1000 cases and highest in those younger than five years of age and among immunocompromised individuals. Pneumonia accounts for six out of ten measles associated deaths. [...] - Individuals at increased risk of measles include infants who are too young to be immunised, people in whom the vaccine has failed to induce immunity (primary vaccine failure), and individuals who for medical, religious or other reasons have not been immunised.