Measles Deaths plummet,But Cases surge Globally,WHO Report Reveals
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Global immunization efforts have led to an 88% drop in measles deaths between 2000 and 2024,according to a new report from the World Health Institution (WHO). Nearly 59 million lives have been saved by the measles vaccine since 2000.
Though,an estimated 95,000 people,mostly children younger than 5 years of age,died due to measles in 2024. While this is among the lowest annual tolls recorded since 2000, every death from a disease that could be prevented with a highly effective and low-cost vaccine is unacceptable.
Despite fewer deaths, measles cases are surging worldwide, with an estimated 11 million infections in 2024 – nearly 800,000 more than pre-pandemic levels in 2019.
“Measles is the world’s most contagious virus, and these data show once again how it will exploit any gap in our collective defences against it,” saeid Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General. “Measles does not respect borders, but when every child in every community is vaccinated against it, costly outbreaks can be avoided, lives can be saved, and this disease can be eliminated from entire nations.”
Measles cases in 2024 increased by 86% in the WHO Eastern Mediterranean Region, 47% in the European Region, and 42% in South-East Asian Region compared with 2019. Notably, the African Region experienced a 40% decline in cases and 50% decline in deaths over this period, partly due to increasing immunization coverage.
While recent measles surges are occurring in countries and regions where children are less likely to die due to better nutrition and access to health care, those infected remain at risk of serious, lifelong complications such as blindness, pneumonia, and encephalitis (an infection causing brain swelling and potentially brain damage).
Immunization coverage insufficient to protect all communities
In 2024, an estimated 84% of children received their first dose of the measles vaccine, and only 76% received the second, according to WHO/UNICEF estimates. This is a slight improvement from the previous year, with 2 million more children immunized. According to WHO guidance, at least 95% coverage with two measles vaccine doses is required to stop transmission and protect communities from outbreaks.
More than 30 million children remained under-protected against measles in 2024. Three-quarters of them live in the African and Eastern Mediterranean regions, often in fragile, conflict-affected or vulnerable settings.
The Immunization Agenda 2030 (IA2030) Mid-Term Review, also released today, stresses that measles is frequently enough the first disease to resurge when vaccination coverage drops. Growing measles outbreaks are exposing weaknesses in immunization programmes and health systems globally, and threatening progress towards IA2030 targets, including measles elimination.
Rising number of outbreaks
In 2024, 59 countries reported large or disruptive measles outbreaks – nearly triple the number reported in 2021 and the highest since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. All regions except the Americas had at least one country experiencing a large outbreak in 2024. The situation changed in 2025 with numerous countries in the Americas battling outbreaks.
Efforts to scale up measles surveillance have improved WHO and countries’ abilities to identify and respond to outbreaks,and for some countries to achieve elimination. In 2024, more than 760 laboratories participating in the Global Measles and Rubella Laboratory Network (GMRLN) tested over 500,000 samples, an increase of 27% from the previous year.
however, deep funding cuts affecting GMRLN and country immunization programmes are feared to widen immunity gaps and drive further outbreaks in the coming year.Securing sustainable domestic financing and new
Measles Cases Surge Globally, Threatening Elimination efforts
Geneva, Switzerland – A concerning rise in measles cases globally is jeopardizing decades of progress towards elimination of the disease, the World Health Organization (WHO) warned today. An estimated 309,000 measles cases were reported worldwide in 2023, marking a important increase from the 140,000 cases reported in 2022. This represents a 79% increase and the highest number of cases reported since 2019.
The surge is attributed to a number of factors,including declining vaccination rates,ongoing conflicts,and disruptions to essential health services. Vaccination coverage has dropped in many countries, with 33 countries reporting coverage rates below the 95% threshold needed to prevent outbreaks. Even in areas with high national coverage, unvaccinated pockets of communities remain vulnerable, fueling outbreaks and sustained transmission.
“The increase in measles cases is alarming and a reminder of the power of this highly contagious disease,” said a WHO spokesperson. “Every case represents a risk – to the individual child, and to the wider community.”
Measles is particularly hazardous for young children, pregnant women, and individuals with weakened immune systems. Complications can include pneumonia, encephalitis (brain swelling), and even death.
To regain momentum towards measles elimination, the WHO emphasizes the urgent need for strong political commitment and sustained investment in immunization programs. This includes ensuring all children receive two doses of the measles vaccine and strengthening surveillance systems to rapidly detect and respond to outbreaks. The IA2030 Mid-Term Review highlights the importance of bolstering routine immunization,surveillance,and outbreak response capabilities,alongside high-quality vaccination campaigns where routine immunization falls short.
Global Partnerships Drive Elimination Efforts
The WHO works closely with partners thru the Measles & Rubella Partnership (M&RP) to achieve global measles and rubella elimination. The M&RP, operating under the immunization Agenda 2030 and guided by the Measles and Rubella Strategic framework 2030, focuses on addressing declining vaccination coverage, recovering from setbacks caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, and accelerating progress towards a world free of these diseases.
Key partners in the M&RP include:
* American Red Cross
* The Gates Foundation
* Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance
* U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
* United Nations Foundation
* UNICEF
Defining Elimination and Outbreaks
Measles elimination is defined as the absence of continuous endemic measles virus transmission in a defined geographical area for over 12 months. A country is considered to have re-established measles transmission if the virus circulates continuously for more than a year. The Immunization Agenda 2030 defines large or disruptive outbreaks as those with 20 or more cases per one million population within a 12-month period.
Sources:
* https://measlesrubellainitiative.org/
* https://www.immunizationagenda2030.org/
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