In 2023, more people in the Netherlands contracted a disease which is vaccinated against in the context of the National Immunisation Programme (RVP) than in 2022. This is because coronavirus measures, such as physical distancing, were still in effect for part of 2022.

Trends in infectious diseases

The surveillance report of the National Immunisation Programme (RVP) presents the current status in the Netherlands of the thirteen infectious diseases which are vaccinated against in the context of the RVP. The report describes how serious the diseases are and how well the vaccinations work. This is achieved by checking such factors as how many people fell ill and how many people had to go to hospital. The report compares these figures with the same figures from previous years and from other countries.

The report also contains information about infectious diseases for which vaccines are available, but which are not yet vaccinated against in the context of the RVP. That includes the respiratory syncytial virus (RSV). 

Many reported cases of whooping cough

Whooping cough (pertussis), mumps and diphtheria were more common in 2023 than in 2022. Reported cases of whooping cough showed a particularly significant increase, spiking from 129 in 2022 to 2,894 in 2023. In the first four months of 2024, this upward trend continued to an unprecedented height. Whooping cough was most common among children aged 0–12 months and teens.

There were seven reported cases of measles, comparable to 2022, but measles also increased in the first four months of 2024, rising to 75. Most of the reported cases were in the region of Eindhoven.

Fewer cases of meningococcal disease than before the pandemic

Meningococcal disease can cause meningitis or blood poisoning. The number of people with meningococcal disease was higher in 2023 than in 2022, but still lower than before the COVID-19 pandemic. As in previous years, the majority of cases were caused by an infection with meningococcal bacteria type B. Vaccination against type B is not included in the National Immunisation Programme. The vaccination in the National Immunisation Programme protects against meningococcal disease types A, C, W and Y. The number of cases within these types rose from seven to twelve. 

Changes in the vaccination schedule

As of 1 January 2024, babies receive a vaccine against rotavirus at the age of 6 to 9 weeks. They receive the second when they are 3 months old. Babies born after 1 January 2024 also receive several vaccinations, including those against whooping cough and pneumococcal disease, a month later: at 12 months instead of 11 months. Another three vaccination times were changed as of 1 January 2025. These changes in the vaccination schedule help to protect children even more effectively.

Reported cases per disease in 2020–2023

* asymptomatic infection
Disease 2020 2021 2022 2023
Whooping cough (pertussis)

941

74

129

2894

Mumps

64

1

7

91

Pneumococcal disease

(ongeveer) 1.500

(ongeveer) 1.350

(ongeveer) 2200

(ongeveer) 2250

Measles

2

0

6

7

Rubella

0

0

0

0

Polio

0

0

1*

0

Diphteria

3

0

7

14

Tetanus

2

0

2

5

Meningococcal disease ACWY

22

5

7

12

Hepatitis B, acute

95

72

80

90

Hepatitis B, chronic/unknow

714

743

815

858

Haemophilus influenzae type b

68

68

57

51

Rotavirus

350

882

1391

959