Latest news with #Jian
Mint
5 hours ago
- Health
- Mint
Explainer: What is agro-terrorism and fusarium graminearum threat fueling the US-China tensions?
The recent arrest of a Chinese researcher and charges against another for smuggling a dangerous crop-killing fungus into the United States have brought renewed attention to the threat of agro-terrorism. At the heart of the case is Fusarium graminearum, a potent plant pathogen capable of devastating cereal crops and disrupting national food supplies. US officials allege the two researchers, one of whom worked at a University of Michigan lab, intended to conduct unauthorized research on the fungus—raising fears of deliberate attempts to compromise American agriculture. The incident, unfolding amid heightened US-China tensions and trade disputes, highlights how scientific collaboration can be exploited to target a country's most vulnerable infrastructure: its food system. What is agro-terrorism? Agro-terrorism is the intentional use of biological agents—such as plant pathogens, pests, or contaminants—to attack a country's agricultural infrastructure. It targets food production systems with the aim of causing economic devastation, food insecurity, and public panic. Agro-terrorism is attractive to hostile actors because it is low-cost, difficult to detect, and capable of triggering far-reaching economic and social damage. Why agriculture is a soft target Agriculture-based sectors are especially vulnerable. Unlike military or financial systems, farms, food processing plants, and supply chains are less protected and widely dispersed. Biological attacks on crops or livestock can go undetected for weeks and are difficult to trace back to the perpetrators. This makes agro-terrorism a potent weapon for countries or groups seeking to destabilize a rival nation. Fusarium graminearum: A potent agro-terrorism threat At the center of the current controversy is Fusarium graminearum, a fungus that causes Fusarium head blight—a disease that ravages cereal crops such as wheat, barley, maize, and rice. The fungus not only decimates yields but also produces a toxin called vomitoxin (deoxynivalenol), making the grain unsafe for human and animal consumption. According to the US Department of Agriculture, this disease causes over $1 billion in crop losses annually in the United States alone. Vomitoxin can cause vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain, and fever in livestock and people, further amplifying its public health impact. The case: Chinese researchers charged Two Chinese nationals, Yunqing Jian (33) and Zunyong Liu (34), have been charged by US federal prosecutors with smuggling Fusarium graminearum into the United States—without proper permits and under false pretenses. Jian, who works at the University of Michigan, is currently in US custody. Liu, her boyfriend and a researcher in China, is believed to be in China and remains at large. According to the FBI, Liu carried baggies of the fungus into the US via the Detroit airport and initially lied about them. He later admitted he intended to use them for research in a Michigan lab. Jian allegedly received Chinese government funding for similar research and has expressed loyalty to the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). US Attorney Jerome Gorgon Jr. described the smuggling as a 'national security' concern, emphasizing the CCP ties and the threat to America's food supply. Why this matters Although Fusarium graminearum already exists in the US, the unauthorised import of foreign strains is dangerous. Variants may be more virulent, pesticide-resistant, or adapted to new climates—making them harder to contain. Bringing them in without the proper biosecurity controls risks new outbreaks or genetic mutations that existing defenses can't manage. FBI Director Kash Patel warned that this could have "grave consequences... putting American lives and our economy at serious risk." He emphasised that this case illustrates how state-backed actors may attempt to infiltrate US institutions and compromise critical sectors like food security. Wider context: US-China tensions This incident comes amid deteriorating relations between Washington and Beijing. US-China trade talks stall after Geneva tariff truce Trade negotiations between the United States and China have stalled, just weeks after both sides agreed in Geneva to a 90-day cooling-off period by reducing tariffs. The agreement had seen China cut tariffs on American goods from 125% to 10%, while the U.S. proposed lowering its tariffs on Chinese imports from 145% to 30%. However, progress has faltered amid renewed tensions. U.S. President Donald Trump reignited the dispute on May 30, accusing China of 'totally violating' the Geneva deal, though he did not provide specifics. 'So much for being Mr. NICE GUY!' he wrote on social media. In response, China's Commerce Ministry denied any violations and accused Washington of making 'bogus charges' and taking 'unreasonable' actions, including export controls on AI chips and revoking Chinese student visas. The Trump administration has also recently announced a crackdown on Chinese student visas, citing national security threats. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio pledged to 'aggressively revoke' visas for Chinese students in sensitive research fields—moves Beijing has denounced as 'discriminatory.'
Time of India
9 hours ago
- Health
- Time of India
What is Fusarium graminearum, the fungus US authorities say was smuggled in from China?
New York: Federal prosecutors charged two Chinese researchers on Tuesday with smuggling a crop-killing fungus into the U.S. last summer - charges that come amid heightened political tensions between the two countries and as the Trump administration moves to revoke visas from visiting Chinese students. Yunqing Jian and Zunyong Liu are charged with conspiracy, smuggling, making false statements and visa fraud for allegedly bringing the fungus Fusarium graminearum into the U.S. Jian, 33, was booked in a Detroit federal court. Liu, 34, is thought to be in China. According to the FBI, Liu had small baggies of the fungus stashed in his backpack when he flew to the U.S. last year and, after claiming ignorance about the plant material inside them, said he was planning to use it for research at a University of Michigan lab where Jian worked and where Liu previously worked. What is Fusarium head blight? Fusarium graminearum causes a disease called Fusarium head blight that can wipe out cereal crops such as wheat, barley and maize and rice - it inflicts $1 billion in losses annually on U.S. wheat and barley crops, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. It isn't the only fungus to cause Fusarium head blight, but it's the most common culprit in the U.S. The fungus infects plants early in the growing season, shriveling wheat grains and blanching crop heads a whitish-tan color. It also causes a toxin to accumulate in wheat kernels that can make them unsafe for people and livestock to eat. Nicknamed "vomitoxin" because it's most known for causing livestock to throw up, it can also cause diarrhea, abdominal pain, headache and fever in animals and people. Wheat and other grain crops are screened for various toxins, including Fusarium graminearum, before they can be used to feed animals and humans. Farmers have to throw out any infected grains, which can cause devastating losses. "It's one of the many problems that farmers have to deal with that risks their livelihood," said David Geiser, a Fusarium expert at Penn State. What are the accusations? Although Jian and Liu are accused of smuggling Fusarium graminearum into the country, the fungus is already prevalent in the U.S. - particularly in the east and Upper Midwest - and scientists have been studying it for decades. Researchers often bring foreign plants, animals and even strains of fungi to the U.S. to study them, but they must file certain permits before moving anything across state or national borders. Studying the genes of a foreign fungus strain, for example, can help scientists learn how it tolerates heat, resists pesticides or mutates. "We look at variations among individuals just like we do humans," said Nicole Gauthier, a plant pathologist at the University of Kentucky who studies Fusarium. That said, it's unclear why the Chinese researchers might have wanted to bring that strain of Fusarium graminearum into the U.S. and why they didn't fill out the proper paperwork to do so.
9 hours ago
- Health
What to know about Fusarium graminearum, the biological pathogen allegedly smuggled into the US
The biological pathogen federal authorities accuse two Chinese nationals of smuggling into the U.S. can be concerning for farming communities but was not likely an act of "agroterrorism," according to plant pathology experts. Two citizens of the People's Republic of China -- Yunqing Jian, 33, and Zunyong Liu, 34 -- were arrested for allegedly bringing a fungus called Fusarium graminearum, a plant pathogen, into the U.S. through the Detroit Metropolitan Airport, according to the U.S. Department of Justice. Jian received Chinese government funding for her work on this pathogen in China and apparently intended to bring it to a laboratory at the University of Michigan, according to a criminal complaint filed in the Eastern District of Michigan. Jian's electronics also contained information describing her membership in and loyalty to the Chinese Communist Party, the indictment alleges. Liu, Jian's boyfriend, works at a Chinese university where he conducts research on the same pathogen, according to the Justice Department. Federal prosecutors claim that "scientific literature classifies [the pathogen] as a potential agroterrorism weapon," emphasizing that it is the "of the gravest national security concern." But the pathogen, while a concern for the agricultural industry, is not necessarily among the most significant threats the industry faces, plant pathology experts told ABC News. Breakouts of Fusarium graminearum infections already naturally occur in dozens of U.S. states -- basically any state that produces wheat and barley -- and has been established in the U.S. for at least 125 years, Caitlyn Allen, a professor emeritus of plant pathology at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, told ABC News. In addition, the U.S. Department of Agriculture keeps a list of potential agroterrorism agents, and Fusarium graminearum is not on that list, Allen said. "We're not talking about something that just got imported from China," Allen said. "People should not be freaking out." Fusarium graminearum is not at the top of the list of concerning pathogens, Gary Bergstrom, a professor emeritus of plant pathology, told ABC News. "Compared to some other things, I don't think the risk is as high," he said. "It's not zero, but it certainly wouldn't be as much concern as the accidental or otherwise introduction of some serious diseases that we don't have now." In order to be considered an agroterrorism threat, prosecutors would have to determine that the Fusarium graminearum samples are more aggressive than local strains, perhaps have different mycotoxin production abilities or more resistance to some of the tools used in the U.S., Bergstrom said. From a research perspective, scientists are "well-versed" in Fusarium graminearum, Paul Esker, a professor of plant pathology and epidemiology at Penn State University, told ABC News. "It's one of the ones that would be at the lower end of the spectrum for risk," Esker said. "We have the tools to manage it." Mitigating the threat of the toxic fungus The biggest group of plant pathogens are fungi, and Fusarium graminearum is in the same general group as yeast, used to make beer or bread, Allen said. The spores of the fungus can infect wheat and barley heads and get into the seeds, where it can multiply. Agricultural industries have already been meeting to prepare for the threat of Fusarium graminearum, as it usually occurs for wheat and barley at this time of year and for corn later in the year, said Esker, who just attended one such meeting on Tuesday. This time of year is when the winter small-grain crops, such as wheat and barley, would be impacted, Esker said. Later in the year, the concern of Fusarium graminearum moves to corn, Esker said. The sample confiscated by authorities was likely headed to the lab at the University of Michigan that studies how plants resist disease, Allen said, adding that the USDA spends "quite a bit of money every year" on wheat and barley research. "One of the most useful ways of solving disease problems on our crops is to breed crops that are resistant to the disease," she said, adding that it eliminates the need for fungicides. "Humans have been doing this for as long as we've been growing plants." What is head blight? Although the plant pathogen experts hypothesize that the motive for bringing the sample into the U.S. was not likely nefarious, they caution that the impacts from the fungus can still present a major threat to U.S. crops. "Fusarium head blight is already a major threat or a major problem for farmers who are growing wheat and barley in the United States now," Allen said. "It's one of the most important diseases of these crops in terms of current, existing losses." The noxious fungus causes "head blight," a disease of wheat, barley, maize and rice, and is responsible for billions of dollars in economic losses worldwide each year, prosecutors said. The toxins can cause vomiting, liver damage and reproductive defects in humans and livestock, prosectors said. The economic loss is felt by farmers who can't sell their commodity, Bergstrom said. In the 1990s, a series of epidemics in the upper Midwest caused a billion-dollar loss over a number of years, he said. The disease is of worldwide importance as well, with documented cases occurring in North and South America, Europe and China, Bergstrom said. Since then, monitoring programs have been put in place to mitigate the impacts of Fusarium graminearum on crops, Esker said. The fungus can produce a poison called a mycotoxin or a fungus toxin -- sometimes referred to as the "vomit toxin" because of the negative impacts it can have on the digestive symptoms of humans and animals, Bergstrom said. "Plants get sick just like people, and this particular disease that we're talking about, Fusarium, head blight, is a big problem on wheat and barley and some other grains all around the world," Allen said. The USDA maintains a wide set of rules to regulate pathogens, the experts said. In order to be granted an Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service permit from the USDA to bring a foreign strain into the country, researchers must provide background information on the strain, explain the thought process on whether they might represent a threat to local agriculture and human health, and lay out the plan for containing the pathogen, Bergstrom said. Even strains from other states within the U.S. must undergo the same process, Bergstrom said. Strains from outside the U.S. undergo more scrutiny, including inspection of the researchers' laboratories, Esker said. "That is a very sound policy, good science," Bergstrom said. It is unclear whether Jian and Liu had such permits. A case of 'bad judgment?' Plants pathogens most commonly have been moved around by accident by humans, Allen said. The occurrence of Fusarium graminearum is strongly impacted by weather conditions -- especially excess moisture, the experts said. "If the weather is really dry, I don't expect to see the disease," Esker said. Allen believes the incident is not so much smuggling but a case of "bad judgment" by passionate researchers. "I'm a biologist, right? But I'm also a biologist who has trained dozens of young scientists over my career," she said. The Justice Department press release does not detail when the alleged smuggling took place. Jian and Liu were charged with conspiracy, smuggling goods into the United States, false statements and visa fraud, U.S. attorney Jerome F. Gorgon, Jr. announced on Tuesday.
TimesLIVE
11 hours ago
- Health
- TimesLIVE
Bail hearing over smuggled fungus scheduled for Chinese researcher
A Michigan court has scheduled a bail hearing on Thursday for a Chinese researcher accused of smuggling biological samples into the US. Yunqing Jian, 33, and her boyfriend Zunyong Liu, 34, who conducted biological studies in the same field, were accused of smuggling a fungus into the US for research. Jian, who according to a federal criminal complaint has worked on research projects in the US since 2022, made her first court appearance on Tuesday. Liu was denied entry into the US last July, when the pathogen, a fungus identified by the US department of justice as Fusarium graminearum, was found in his luggage. Liu said he wanted to conduct research on the fungus at a University of Michigan laboratory where Jian worked, according to the complaint. Prosecutors described the fungus as a dangerous biological pathogen that had the potential to be used as an agricultural terrorism weapon. The fungus is already widespread on US farms, tested for and tightly controlled in grains, and is not considered dangerous unless consumed in large quantities. Clair Keene, an agronomist at North Dakota State University, said she was puzzled by US authorities' description of the fungus. 'It's a common pathogen. We have it here. The claim that Fusarium graminearum can be used as a biological weapon doesn't strike me as accurate,' she said. The fungus can cause Fusarium head blight, typically known as scab. It is common among wheat, barley and other grains, especially during rainy years. The telltale salmon-pink streaks on the grain heads contain a toxic byproduct called vomitoxin, which in high quantities can cause nausea and vomiting when eaten. Keene said farmers often spray fungicide to protect their crop and researchers have developed strains of wheat that are resistant to the fungus. Reuters was unable to contact Jian or her lawyer for comment. The case involving the researchers comes as the University of Michigan and other universities have faced pressure from the Trump administration over allegations they have done too little to combat anti-Semitism on campus and what the administration depicts as radical ideology in the classroom. Universities' ties to China also have come under scrutiny. The University of Michigan said in a statement it condemned 'any actions that seek to cause harm, threaten national security or undermine the university's critical public mission'. 'It is important to note that the university has received no funding from the Chinese government in relation to research conducted by the accused individuals,' the university said, adding it will 'continue to co-operate' with federal law enforcement in its ongoing investigation and prosecution. FBI director Kash Patel said in a post on X that the case was a reminder that China's ruling Communist Party 'is working around the clock to deploy operatives and researchers to infiltrate American institutions and target our food supply, which would have grave consequences ... putting American lives and our economy at serious risk.' In response to a request for comment, the Chinese embassy in Washington sent a statement from its spokesperson Liu Pengyu. 'I don't know the specific situation, but I would like to emphasise that the Chinese government has always required overseas Chinese citizens to abide by local laws and regulations and will also resolutely safeguard their legitimate rights and interests,' Liu said.
Euronews
12 hours ago
- Euronews
The slimming shot: What price are you willing to pay for a dream body?
A Chinese scientist entered the United States last year with a toxic fungus stashed in his backpack, according to federal authorities who filed charges against him and a girlfriend who worked in a university lab. The pathogen is known as Fusarium graminearum, which can attack wheat, barley, maize, and rice, and sicken livestock and people, the US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) said in a court filing in Detroit, Michigan. The FBI said a scientific journal describes it as a "potential agroterrorism weapon". On Tuesday, authorities charged Yunqing Jian, 33, and Zunyong Liu, 34, with conspiracy, smuggling, making false statements, and visa fraud. "The alleged actions of these Chinese nationals, including a loyal member of the Chinese Communist Party, are of the gravest national security concerns," US Attorney Jerome Gorgon Jr said. Jian appeared in court and was returned to jail to await a bond hearing on Thursday. An attorney who was assigned only for her initial appearance declined to comment. In July 2024, Liu was turned away at the Detroit airport and sent back to China after changing his story during an interrogation about red plant material discovered in his backpack, the FBI said. He initially claimed ignorance about the samples but later said he was planning to use the material for research at a University of Michigan lab where Jian worked and where Liu previously worked, the FBI said. The FBI said authorities found a scientific article on Liu's phone that was titled, "Plant-Pathogen Warfare under Changing Climate Conditions'. A week before arriving in the US, according to investigators, Liu exchanged messages with Jian, who said, "It's a pity that I still have to work for you". The FBI said Liu replied: "Once this is done, everything else will be easy". Months later, in February, FBI agents visited Jian at the campus lab. She said, "100 per cent no," when asked if she had been assisting Liu with the pathogen at the lab. The FBI said it found a signed statement on her phone expressing her support for the Communist Party of China. Messages between the two in 2024 suggest that Jian was already tending to Fusarium graminearum at the campus lab before Liu was caught at the Detroit airport, the FBI said. The university does not have federal permits to handle it. The US does not have an extradition treaty with China, which makes Liu's arrest unlikely unless he returns. From Italy to Greece and Portugal, off-label use of GLP-1 drugs like Ozempic and Mounjaro for weight loss is creating a booming private market—and a brewing public health dilemma. In a matter of just a few years, Europe has witnessed an unprecedented shift in how one class of medications—so-called GLP-1 receptor agonists—is perceived and used. Originally developed to treat type 2 diabetes, these injectable drugs are now fueling a multibillion-euro weight loss industry, driven by private demand, social media hype, and regulatory gaps. The new 'weight loss hysteria' started in the United States, where the prices for the drugs remain highest, but people are still willing to pay $1,300 (€1,142) each month without insurance coverage. The tendency is now exploding in Europe and is not limited to those with medical conditions and obesity, but spreading to those seeking a novel approach to getting a beach-ready body. But what price are we willing to pay for the dream body across Europe? Italy's private market for GLP-1 drugs exploded in 2024, reaching a staggering €26 billion in global anti-obesity drug spending, a more than tenfold increase compared to 2020. According to Pharma Data Factory (PDF), private spending on GLP-1 agonists doubled from €52 million in 2023 to over €115 million in 2024. This surge stems from a rising trend: off-label use of anti-diabetic drugs for weight loss. Since such use is not currently covered by Italy's national health service, most of the spending has come directly from patients' pockets. There is, however, movement at the policy level. The recent Act No 741, which officially recognises obesity as a chronic disease, may pave the way for future reimbursement under Italy's provisions for insurance Essential Levels of Care (LEA). For the time being, however, prescriptions are typically limited to specialists and often require proof of a high body mass index or conditions related to diabetes. The phenomenon is mirrored in Greece, where usage of anti-obesity drugs surged by 82.5% in 2024, with €93 million in total spending. Ozempic's popularity has skyrocketed, and the market has since expanded to include Mounjaro, introduced in November 2024. Despite consumer enthusiasm, Greek regulations remain among the strictest in Europe. Prescribing these drugs for obesity is technically forbidden, except in life-threatening cases. Physicians must prove a diagnosis of diabetes to prescribe them, making legitimate weight-loss prescriptions almost impossible through official channels. But regulatory rigidity has not slowed the underground momentum. With Mounjaro sales now hitting 12,000 units per month, price cuts—such as the 23% drop announced by Pharmaserve-Lilly in February—are expected to further accelerate the drug's spread, whether legal or otherwise. In Portugal, the weight loss drug phenomenon is newer but no less intense. In the first four months of 2025 alone, Portuguese consumers spent nearly €20 million on GLP-1-based injectables like tirzepatide (Mounjaro) and semaglutide (Wegovy)—both of which are officially approved for obesity treatment. In just two months of 2024, over 10,000 units of tirzepatide were sold, while Wegovy, introduced in April 2025, has racked up sales of 6,800 units in a single month. With each Wegovy injection costing EUR 244.80, the trend shows no signs of slowing. Ozempic, while not officially approved for weight loss, continues to be widely used off-label. Its popularity has led to pharmacy stock shortages and forced Infarmed—the national medicines authority—to initiate drug circuit audits in cooperation with the European Medicines Agency. Reimbursement remains a sticking point. Despite rising interest and usage, Portugal still doesn't subsidise anti-obesity injectables, and the entire cost is borne by individuals—many motivated by influencer culture and celebrity transformations. According to data from consulting firm IQVIA shared with El Confidencial Digital outlet, the Spanish pharmaceutical market saw turnover for weight-loss medications exceed €484 million in 2024—a 65% increase from €293 million in 2023. Units sold jumped from 3.2 million to 4.8 million, reflecting more than 50% growth in volume. Yet despite this surge, the Interministerial Commission on Prices of Medicines and Health Products does not publicly track spending specifically on anti-obesity medications. What is known: Spain's overall retail drug expenditure stands at €412 per capita, 21% below the EU average of €500, according to the 2024 Pharmaceutical Expenditure Report. In Spain, prices for publicly reimbursed drugs are set by the Ministry of Health, and anti-obesity medications must be prescribed and supervised by specialists. This regulatory barrier is meant to ensure appropriate use—but it also limits access, particularly as public demand rises faster than policy adapts. In Germany, demand for weight-loss drugs like Wegovy and Mounjaro is rising fast—yet public coverage remains limited. These GLP-1 medications can cost up to €300 a month, and for most people, the bill comes out of pocket. By law, Germany's public health insurance system excludes drugs used purely for weight loss, classifying them as lifestyle treatments. However, exceptions are emerging. In early 2024, authorities made Wegovy eligible for reimbursement—but only in cases where obesity poses a serious cardiovascular risk. Despite these restrictions, the market is booming. Sales of GLP-1 drugs in Germany are expected to more than double by 2030, reaching over €700 million. With more than half the adult population overweight, pressure is growing on policymakers to expand access. For now, the debate continues—between cost, public health, and who should benefit from these powerful new medications. While some countries restrict access, Poland offers surprisingly open availability. Ozempic is reimbursed for diabetic patients (121.25 Polish złoty or €28 with discount), but can also be obtained via telemedicine after a remote consultation—even without diabetes, depending on the doctor's assessment. The full price of Ozempic is 404 złoty (€94), and demand is high, driven by growing perceptions of the drug as a fast track to weight loss. France has started a formal review that could lead to reimbursement for Mounjaro in limited obesity cases, but for now, neither Mounjaro nor Wegovy are covered under the public system. By contrast, the UK's NHS does cover both drugs, with eligibility limited to patients referred to specialist weight management services. Wegovy became available via the NHS in 2023, and Mounjaro followed with rollout in 2024, under structured programs. Across Europe, public healthcare systems are facing a growing dilemma. Originally designed to manage chronic diseases like diabetes, these systems are now being strained by surging demand for weight-loss drugs such as Ozempic, Wegovy, and Mounjaro. While obesity is increasingly recognised as a chronic condition, regulatory and reimbursement policies have struggled to keep up. This mismatch has created a growing shadow market, where people without official diagnoses pay out of pocket. And buying some of these drugs is actually as easy as buying a detox tea. You just need to lie, click and pay. And then pray that what comes through the post is the real thing. One of the world's most contagious diseases is spreading in Europe. Measles has been on the rise for months. Last year was the worst for measles in Europe and Central Asia since 1997, with more than 120,000 cases reported across the region. Health authorities have warned that cases are likely to rise in the coming months. So far in 2025, about 5,500 measles cases have been reported across the European Union, according to the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC). Over the past year, many cases have been among unvaccinated children under the age of five, the agency says. Measles is usually a mild or moderately severe illness, but in some cases it can lead to deadly complications. It's extremely contagious, but vaccination is effective at keeping people from getting sick. Here's where cases are highest in 2025, according to ECDC data through the end of April. The vast majority of the EU's measles cases are in Romania, which has reported 3,605 infections as of late April. Three people have died. The country's years-long outbreak has been driven by anti-vaccine sentiment, conflicting health guidance, and a medical system struggling to keep up. In 2023, just 62 per cent of the population was fully vaccinated against measles, far below the 95 per cent threshold needed to prevent outbreaks. There have been 526 measles cases so far this year in France, spurred in part by a "notable increase" in the number of measles cases brought into the country this year, the ECDC said. At least 41 infections have been linked to someone who brought the virus in from Morocco, compared to 26 cases in 2024. In 2023, 93 per cent of people in France were fully vaccinated. But if there are pockets of unvaccinated people in a community, measles can easily take hold. The Netherlands reported 371 measles infections in the first four months of 2025. More than two dozen cases were among people who contracted measles in Morocco or Romania and then came into the Netherlands. Dutch health authorities said there are "clusters" of measles infections, for example, at primary schools or childcare facilities, with most cases among children under the age of 10. But they stressed there is no national measles outbreak. At 81 per cent, the Netherlands has one of the lowest measles vaccination rates in the EU. Only Romania and Cyprus (80 per cent) had lower coverage levels. In Italy, 268 measles infections have been recorded so far in 2025. Overall, in the year ending in late January, it's had more cases than anywhere in the EU except Romania. The country's measles vaccination rate was 85 per cent in 2023, too low to stave off outbreaks. Spain is experiencing outbreaks in several parts of the country, resulting in 251 measles infections this year. Several cases were also imported from outside of Spain, the ECDC said. Notably, 92 per cent of people in Spain were fully vaccinated against measles in 2023, landing the country near herd immunity. In May, the Spanish Ministry of Health encouraged people to check their vaccination status amid the uptick in measles cases both worldwide and within Spain. "The resumption of mobility after the pandemic has increased the risk of imported cases," the ministry said.
