What the latest data show
Infant measles remains a matter of concern in France, despite a clear lull in 2026. Infants under one year old accounted for 62 cases in 2025, or 8.3% of reported cases. This is the age group most exposed to severe forms of the disease, and the only one that cannot yet be protected by the standard vaccination schedule.
This article brings together figures published by Santé publique France, the applicable vaccination rules and useful clinical guidance for parents. It does not replace medical advice.
How many measles cases are there in France?
In 2025, 873 measles cases were reported in France, across 71 departments. The trend has reversed sharply since then: from January 1 to April 30, 2026, 77 cases were recorded, compared with 530 over the same period in 2025.
Severity of reported cases
In 2025, 314 cases required hospitalization, representing 36% of the total, including 12 in intensive care. Four deaths were reported, all among immunocompromised people. Complications affected 121 cases, mainly pneumonia, with two cases of encephalitis.
During the first four months of 2026, 24 of the 77 cases required hospitalization, including one in intensive care, and no deaths were reported. The hospitalization rate remains high: approximately one reported case in three.
The specific situation of infants under one year old
The incidence among infants under one year old reached 10.9 cases per 100,000 inhabitants in 2025. This level exceeds that of previous years, but remains well below the 2019 epidemic, when it reached 42.7 per 100,000.
This increased exposure has a straightforward explanation. Maternal antibodies decline during the first few months, and the first vaccine dose is not given until twelve months. Infants therefore depend on the immunity of those around them during this window.
What is the current vaccination coverage?
Vaccination against measles, mumps and rubella is mandatory for children born since January 1, 2018. The schedule includes a first dose at twelve months and a second dose between sixteen and eighteen months.
For the cohort born in 2024, one-dose coverage reached 95.2% at twenty-one months. Two-dose coverage remains lower: 87.8% for the 2023 cohort, measured at thirty-three months.
Yet it is two-dose coverage that determines virus elimination. Santé publique France points out that it remains below the 95% threshold recommended by the WHO, both nationally and in every region. This shortfall explains the persistence of epidemic outbreaks.
Vaccination status of affected people
Among the 2025 cases eligible for vaccination whose status was known, 67% were unvaccinated or incompletely vaccinated. Approximately 31% had received two doses. No vaccine offers absolute protection, but the distribution remains heavily weighted toward unvaccinated people.
Can a baby be vaccinated before twelve months?
Yes, in three specific situations. Vaccination is possible from six months of age in the event of travel to an area with high virus circulation. It is also possible around a confirmed case, within 72 hours of contact, and when grouped cases occur in a community setting.
An important consequence accompanies this early vaccination. A child vaccinated before twelve months must then receive two additional doses, at twelve months and then between sixteen and eighteen months. The schedule therefore includes three doses in total.
This rule is due to the lower effectiveness of a first dose given early. It is estimated at around 83% when the dose is received between nine and eleven months, compared with approximately 96% after twelve months. Our article on the baby vaccination schedule in France places these doses within the overall schedule.
Recognizing the disease
Timing and early signs
The incubation period lasts approximately ten days. The initial phase involves a often high fever, a runny nose, a cough and conjunctivitis. The rash then appears, first on the face, before spreading downward over the body.
The contagious period
An infected person is contagious for five days before the rash appears and until five days afterward. Transmission therefore precedes diagnosis, which explains the rapid spread of the virus in community settings.
Complications in infants
Respiratory superinfections and pneumonia are the most common complications. Acute encephalitis is rare but serious. A late complication, subacute sclerosing panencephalitis, occurs years after infection and is more common when measles occurred before one year of age.
If a baby has a high fever accompanied by a rash, call the doctor before traveling to the office. An unannounced visit to a waiting room exposes other infants.
What parents can do
The first line of protection is vaccinating those around the baby. Siblings, parents and grandparents form a protective barrier around a baby who is too young to be vaccinated. Checking your own vaccination status is often the most useful step.
The second concerns travel. Traveling to an area with active virus circulation justifies arranging a consultation in advance, as early vaccination requires specific planning.
The third concerns community settings. If a case is reported at a daycare center, the appropriate procedure is defined by the regional health agency and communicated to families. Our article on adjusting to daycare describes how these facilities typically operate.
During an infectious episode at home, cleaning childcare equipment is a sensible precaution. Our childcare product care guide details the methods suited to each material.
Vigilance as part of a broader picture
Measles is not the only vaccine-preventable disease being closely monitored in infants. We have published comparable data updates on whooping cough in infants and on the rotavirus vaccine.
The bronchiolitis prevention campaign completes this seasonal overview. Taken together, these data point to the same conclusion: protecting very young children depends largely on the immunity of the adults around them.
Sources
- Santé publique France, Measles in France from January 1 to December 31, 2025, national bulletin published on January 15, 2026, and annual report published on May 18, 2026.
- Santé publique France, Measles in France from January 1 to April 30, 2026, national bulletin published on May 18, 2026.
- Santé publique France, Vaccination of children, adolescents and young adults in France, vaccination coverage report, published on April 27, 2026.
- Vaccination Info Service, healthcare professionals section, Measles information sheet (vaccination schedule, early vaccination, contagiousness and complications).
- World Health Organization, 95% two-dose vaccination coverage threshold for measles elimination.
