Measles cases are rising worldwide, with 10.3 million people expected to become infected in 2023 | CDC Newsroom

November 14, 2024 | Atlanta/Geneva. There will be about 10.3 million measles cases worldwide in 2023, up 20% from 2022, according to new estimates from the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Insufficient vaccination coverage worldwide. causes an increase in morbidity.

Measles can be prevented with two doses of the vaccine; However, in 2023, more than 22 million children did not receive their first dose of vaccine. Last year, an estimated 83% of children worldwide received a first dose of measles vaccine, while only 74% received the recommended second dose.

Coverage of 95% or more with both doses of measles vaccine is needed in every country and community to prevent outbreaks and protect populations from one of the world’s most contagious human viruses.

“The measles vaccine has saved more lives than any other vaccine in the last 50 years,” said Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO director-general. “To save more lives and stop this deadly virus from harming the most vulnerable people, we must invest in vaccinating all people, no matter where they live,” he added.

“Measles cases are rising around the world, putting lives and health at risk,” said Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Director Dr. Mandy Cohen. “The measles vaccine is our best defense against the virus, and we must continue to invest in efforts to expand access,” he said.

As a result of global gaps in vaccination coverage, 57 countries experienced large or devastating measles outbreaks in 2023, affecting every region except the Americas, representing an increase of nearly 60% compared to 36 countries the year before. WHO regions in Africa, Eastern Mediterranean, Europe, South-East Asia and Western Pacific have seen significant increases in cases. Almost half of all major destructive outbreaks occurred in the African region.

Unacceptable number of deaths due to rising measles cases

New data shows that about 107,500 people died from measles in 2023, most of them children under 5 years of age. Although this is an 8% decrease from the previous year, too many children are still dying from this preventable disease. This small decline in deaths was mainly due to an increase in cases in countries and regions where children with measles are less likely to die due to better nutritional status and better access to health services.

Even when people survive measles, serious health effects can occur, some of which last a lifetime. Infants and young children are at greatest risk for serious complications from the disease, including blindness, pneumonia, and encephalitis (an infection that causes inflammation of the brain and possibly brain damage).

As measles cases and outbreaks increase, the global elimination goal set out in the 2030 Immunization Agenda is under threat. By the end of 2023, 82 countries around the world had achieved or maintained measles elimination. Just this week, Brazil was once again confirmed as having eliminated measles, once again making the WHO Americas region free of endemic measles. With the exception of the Africa region, at least one country in all WHO regions has eliminated the disease.

Countries and partners, especially in the African and Eastern Mediterranean regions and in fragile and vulnerable countries affected by conflict, need urgent and focused efforts to fully vaccinate all children with two doses of measles vaccine. This requires establishing and maintaining high-impact routine immunization programs and high-quality, high-coverage campaigns when these programs are not yet sufficient to protect all children.

Countries and global vaccination partners should also strengthen disease surveillance, including the Global Measles and Rubella Laboratory Network (GMRLN). Robust disease surveillance is essential to optimize vaccination programs, detect and respond quickly to measles outbreaks to mitigate their size and impact.

Note to editors

“Progress towards global measles regional elimination, 2000–2023.” — a joint publication of WHO and CDC. It is published in the WHO Epidemiological Weekly Registry and the CDC Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and WHO use statistical modeling to estimate measles cases and deaths each year based on cases reported by countries and analyze the previous year’s estimated numbers to estimate disease trends over time.

CDC and WHO are founding members of the Measles and Rubella Alliance. (M&RP), a global initiative to combat measles and rubella. As part of the 2030 Agenda for Immunization and under the guidance of the Measles and Rubella Strategic Framework to 2030.M&RP’s mission includes addressing declining national vaccination coverage, accelerating recovery from the measles resurgence caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, and facilitating progress toward a world free of measles and rubella. The alliance also includes the American Red Cross.Bill and Melinda Gates FoundationGlobal Alliance for Vaccines and Immunization (GAVI)UN Foundation and UNICEF.

Measles elimination is defined as the absence of endemic transmission of measles virus in a region or other geographically defined area for more than 12 months. On the other hand, a country is no longer considered measles-free if the virus returns and transmission continues uninterrupted for more than a year.

For more information about CDC’s global measles vaccination efforts, visit https://www.cdc.gov/global-measles-vaccination.

For more information on WHO’s measles response and support, visit https://www.who.int/en/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/measles..

Related links

Progress towards global measles elimination, 2000–2023.

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