Fourth measles case recorded in Ireland as HSE issues advice for vaccinations 

There is a free catch-up MMR option via participating GPs for those who may have missed their vaccination when younger.

A fourth case of measles has been recorded in Ireland in 2024, the HSE has confirmed.

It follows three other confirmed cases in recent weeks, the most recent of which was on a flight from Abu Dhabi to Dublin,  leading to an urgent public health alert from the HSE.

A HSE spokesperson said: "Due to the ongoing outbreaks in the UK and across Europe, there is a heightened awareness of measles among clinicians in Ireland."

The HSE is finalising plans for the broader rollout of a proactive MMR vaccine catch-up programme in response to a rise in measles cases in the UK and Europe. 

It already offers MMR vaccines to children aged 12 months and four to five years old.

There is also a free catch-up MMR option via participating GPs for those who may have missed their vaccination when younger. 

A spokesperson said the programme would prioritise three groups as uptake rates are currently lower in those groups. They are:

• Children and young adults; 
• Healthcare workers; 
• Underserved groups such as refugees, applicants seeking protection and the homeless community.

The HSE aims to commence the programme following the St Patrick’s bank holiday weekend.

Current public health advice indicates people born in Ireland before 1978 are likely to have been exposed to measles as children and, therefore, unlikely to require MMR vaccine.

The number of confirmed cases this year now equals the total seen in 2023.

There are increases in cases of measles also reported in several other European countries, including Romania, Cyprus and Austria.