Measles cases in the European region surged last year to reach their highest levels since 1997, the World Health Organization and the UN’s children agency, UNICEF, said Thursday.

There were 127,350 reported cases of measles, including 38 deaths, in Europe and Central Asia last year, marking the highest total in nearly 30 years, according to figures from UNICEF and the World He

The number of measles cases in the European region doubled last year to reach the highest level in 25 years, health officials say. A joint report by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the UN children's fund, Unicef, said children under the age of five accounted for more than 40% of the cases reported in Europe and central Asia.