A dramatic rise in cases of whooping cough, measles and other diseases has raised alarm across Austria.
Austria is witnessing a sharp rise in cases of vaccine-preventable diseases like whooping cough and diphtheria, and experts warn that vaccine hesitancy is largely to blame.
In 2024, Austria recorded 15,465 cases of whooping cough – an alarming 450 percent increase from the previous year’s 2,791 cases, according to recent figures from the Austrian Association of Vaccine Manufacturers (ÖVIH), reported by Vienna.at. This spike brought the numbers back to levels not seen since the pre-vaccine era of the 1960s. Among the cases, a newborn died from whooping cough in March 2024.
Austria currently has the lowest whooping cough vaccination rate in Europe at just 84 percent. “Vaccinations make a significant contribution to public health,” said ÖVIH President Renée Gallo-Daniel.
Yet despite public awareness campaigns, the willingness to vaccinate remains worryingly low.
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Other diseases are also returning due to low immunisation rates. Last year, Austria saw 527 measles cases, with nearly a quarter of those affected requiring hospitalisation. Flu vaccination rates are similarly concerning, at just 15 percent, far below the WHO target of 75 percent for risk groups.
Even vaccinations previously successful in Austria, such as for tick-borne encephalitis (TBE), have seen declining rates – down to about 60 percent for adults and only 45 percent for children completing their initial three-dose course.
The ÖVIH also highlighted poor uptake of the HPV vaccine, especially among boys, with fewer than half fully vaccinated by age 14.
Why are vaccination rates declining?
Gallo-Daniel sees 2025 as a critical year to reverse these trends. “The climate crisis is worsening worldwide and in Austria, bringing new infectious diseases,” she explained. At the same time, “scientific scepticism is constantly taking on new dimensions.”
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The WHO recommends addressing vaccine hesitancy by improving confidence in vaccines, communicating clear risks and benefits, ensuring convenient access, and emphasising collective responsibility.
ÖVIH called on health authorities to set clear immunisation targets, make better use of the electronic vaccination registry, and provide equal access to free vaccinations for all children and adolescents.
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