Measles deaths have dropped sharply since 2000, yet health officials now report a worrying resurgence.
Measles cases rose by 47 per cent in Europe and Central Asia last year, driven mainly by declining vaccination rates, according to a new World Health Organization report. Officials note that global progress in reducing infections and deaths is slipping.
In 2024, measles killed an estimated 95,000 people worldwide, mostly children under five. That figure marks a huge fall from 780,000 deaths in 2000, yet the WHO insists that every preventable death remains unacceptable. The agency states that vaccination efforts have saved nearly 59 million lives since 2000.
Rising Infections Reveal Weak Defences
Measles cases continue rising worldwide. Officials estimate 11 million infections occurred last year, around 800,000 more than before the pandemic. Earlier this year, the WHO reported more than 120,000 measles cases in Europe and Central Asia, the highest figure in over 25 years.
Fifty-nine countries experienced major outbreaks last year, nearly triple the number in 2021. WHO chief Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said the virus exploits every weakness in public immunity.
The agency highlights growing vaccine refusal as a key cause of outbreaks. Because measles spreads so easily, health experts say at least 95 per cent of people must receive the vaccine to prevent outbreaks.
Last year, around 84 per cent of children received their first measles dose, while 76 per cent received the second. Those numbers improved slightly, giving two million more children access to the vaccine. However, more than 30 million children remained under-protected in 2024, mainly in Africa and the Eastern Mediterranean. Even highly vaccinated countries can face outbreaks if pockets of unvaccinated people exist.
Calls for Stronger Systems and Renewed Action
The WHO notes that measles often resurges first when vaccination rates decline, exposing weaknesses in global health systems and immunisation programmes.
Children who survive measles face increased risks of pneumonia, blindness, and encephalitis, a dangerous condition that causes brain swelling.
The WHO urges governments to boost funding and intensify elimination efforts. Dr Tedros emphasised that measles does not respect borders, but full community vaccination can prevent costly outbreaks, save lives, and eliminate the disease nationally.
