Measles deaths have dropped sharply since 2000, yet health officials now warn of a global resurgence.
Measles cases rose by 47 per cent in Europe and Central Asia last year due to falling vaccination rates, according to a new World Health Organization report. Officials see clear evidence that gains from the early 21st century are slipping.
In 2024, measles killed an estimated 95,000 people worldwide, mostly children under five. That number represents a steep drop from 780,000 deaths in 2000, yet the WHO stressed that “every death from a disease that could be prevented with a highly effective and low-cost vaccine is unacceptable.”
Global vaccination efforts have saved nearly 59 million lives since 2000.
Still, infections have started rising again. An estimated 11 million people contracted measles 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 in 2024, the highest figure in over 25 years. Officials also recorded major outbreaks in 59 countries, nearly triple the number seen in 2021.
Falling Vaccination Leaves Millions Vulnerable
WHO chief Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said, “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.”
Officials point to rising vaccine refusal as a major driver of outbreaks. Measles spreads so easily that at least 95 per cent of people must receive immunisation to maintain protection.
Last year, about 84 per cent of children received their first measles vaccine dose, and 76 per cent received the second, WHO data shows. Those numbers rose slightly from the previous year, with two million additional children vaccinated.
However, more than 30 million children remained “under-protected” against measles in 2024, mostly in Africa and the Eastern Mediterranean region. Even countries with high national vaccination rates can face outbreaks if unvaccinated pockets form within communities.
Officials warn that measles often resurges first when immunisation rates decline, exposing weaknesses in health systems and vaccination programmes worldwide.
WHO Calls for Stronger Global Action
Children who survive measles face higher risks of pneumonia, blindness, and encephalitis, conditions that can cause brain swelling and long-term damage.
The WHO urged governments to increase funding and strengthen their commitment to measles elimination.
Tedros stated, “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.”
