Second meeting of the European Regional Verification Commission for measles and rubella elimination

The 2nd meeting of the European Regional Verification Commission for Measles and Rubella Elimination (RVC) was held on 28–30 October 2013 in Copenhagen, Denmark to evaluate progress toward the goal of eliminating measles and rubella from the WHO European Region by 2015. Based on information submitted by the national verification committees for measles and rubella elimination from the 34 countries that submitted reports as of the end of 2012, the RVC concluded that endemic measles transmission had been interrupted in 16 countries and endemic rubella transmission had been interrupted in 19 countries. However, in a number of countries where measles and/or rubella endemic transmission has been interrupted, there is risk of re-established endemic transmission mainly due to significant immunity gaps in the population.