WORLD health chiefs have called on European nations to ramp up their measles vaccination rates amid a spike in cases across the continent which it warned has "the potential to cause large outbreaks".

The World Health Organisation (WHO) has raised the alarm with countries whose immunisation coverage is considered to be below the safe 95 per cent threshold.

In 2016, uptake of the measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine in Scotland was 94.9 per cent for the first dose, given before 24 months. Among five-year-olds, 92.9 per cent had received a second dose, rising to 94.1 per cent among six-year-olds.

Seven countries currently experiencing a surge in measles rates - France, Germany, Italy, Poland, Romania, Switzerland and Ukraine - all have national immunisation rates for the second dose below the 95 per cent bar.

In January, 559 measles cases were reported to the WHO European Region, 474 within these seven countries. They are among 14 nations where the measles virus is considered "endemic" and who are now being contacted by regional WHO representatives to launch response measures including enhanced surveillance and targeted immunisation of individuals vulnerable to the infection.

The UK has been previously categorised as endemic, but the current status is "interrupted for 24 months" - meaning that high levels of population immunity are stalling transmission of the virus.

However, in a statement WHO said that national health authorities "should maximise their efforts to achieve and/or sustain at least 95 per cent coverage with two doses of measles-containing vaccine to prevent circulation in the event of an importation" - that is, people infected with measles entering the country.

Dr Zsuzsanna Jakab, WHO Regional Director for Europe, said: “With steady progress towards elimination over the past two years, it is of particular concern that measles cases are climbing in Europe. Today’s travel patterns put no person or country beyond the reach of the measles virus. Outbreaks will continue in Europe, as elsewhere, until every country reaches the level of immunization needed to fully protect their populations.

“I urge all endemic countries to take urgent measures to stop transmission of measles within their borders, and all countries that have already achieved this to keep up their guard and sustain high immunization coverage.”

The largest current measles outbreaks in Europe are taking place in Romania and Italy. Romania has reported over 3,400 cases and 17 deaths since January 2016 and currently has the highest incidence rate in Europe at 103 cases per million population, compared to 8.8 per million in the UK.

However, Italy has also seen a sharp rise in cases in the first weeks of 2017 and WHO fears that the total number of cases reported there in 2016 - around 850 - could be exceeded by the end of March.

A spokeswoman for Health Protection Scotland said: "The measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine uptake rate in Scotland is one of the highest in the UK. Although the uptake of the first dose of MMR is 94.9 per cent in those aged two years, in those aged five years the uptake of one dose is 96.8 per cent and additional doses are caught up later in life.

"Uptake of the second dose of MMR at six years is 94.1 per cent, which is just under the WHO target of 95 per cent. As with the rest of the UK, Scotland has interrupted endemic transmission of measles but remains at risk of cases being imported into the country from those countries in which measles incidence is high.

"The high uptake of two doses of MMR vaccine in the Scottish population will protect the vast majority of individuals in Scotland. It's never too late to have the vaccine, so if anyone hasn't received two doses of the vaccine in the past or is unsure, speak with your GP."