Worldwide, there were an estimated 10.3 million cases of measles in 2023, a 20% increase from 2022, according to new estimates from the World Health Organization (WHO) and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Inadequate immunization coverage globally is driving the surge in cases.<\/p>\n
Measles is preventable with two doses of measles vaccine; yet more than 22 million children missed their first dose of measles vaccine in 2023. Globally, an estimated 83% of children received their first dose of measles vaccine last year, while only 74% received the recommended second dose.<\/p>\n
Coverage of 95% or greater of two doses of measles vaccine is needed in each country and community to prevent outbreaks and protect populations from one of the world\u2019s most contagious human viruses.<\/p>\n
\u201cMeasles vaccine has saved more lives than any other vaccine in the past 50 years,\u201d said Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General. \u201cTo save even more lives and stop this deadly virus from harming the most vulnerable, we must invest in immunization for every person, no matter where they live.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThe number of measles infections are rising around the globe, endangering lives and health,\u201d CDC Director Mandy Cohen said. \u201cThe measles vaccine is our best protection against the virus, and we must continue to invest in efforts to increase access.\u201d<\/p>\n
As a result of global gaps in vaccination coverage, 57 countries experienced large or disruptive measles outbreaks in 2023, affecting all regions except the Americas, and representing a nearly 60% increase from 36 countries in the previous year. The WHO African, Eastern Mediterranean, European, South-East Asia and Western Pacific regions experienced a substantial upsurge in cases. Nearly half of all large or disruptive outbreaks occurred in the African region.<\/p>\n
The new data show that an estimated 107 500 people, mostly children younger than 5 years of age, died due to measles in 2023. Although this is an 8% decrease from the previous year, far too many children are still dying from this preventable disease. This slight reduction in deaths was mainly because the surge in cases occurred in countries and regions where children with measles are less likely to die, due to better nutritional status and access to health services.<\/p>\n
Even when people survive measles, serious health effects can occur, some of which are lifelong. Infants and young children are at greatest risk of serious complications from the disease, which include blindness, pneumonia, and encephalitis (an infection causing brain swelling and potentially brain damage).<\/p>\n
As measles cases surge and outbreaks increase,\u00a0the world\u2019s elimination goal, as laid out in Immunization Agenda 2030, is under threat. Worldwide, 82 countries had achieved or maintained\u00a0measles elimination\u00a0at the end of 2023.\u00a0Just this week, Brazil was reverified as having eliminated\u00a0measles, making the WHO Americas Region once again free of endemic measles.\u00a0With the exception of the African Region, at least 1 country in all WHO regions has eliminated the disease.<\/p>\n
Urgent and targeted efforts by countries and partners, particularly in the African and Eastern Mediterranean regions, and in fragile, conflict-affected and vulnerable settings, are needed to vaccinate all children fully with two doses of measles vaccine. This requires achieving and maintaining high-performing routine immunization programmes and delivering high-quality, high-coverage campaigns when those programmes are not yet sufficient to protect every child.<\/p>\n
Countries and global immunization partners must also strengthen disease surveillance, including the Global Measles Rubella Laboratory Network (GMRLN). Strong disease surveillance is critical to optimizing immunization programmes and detecting and responding rapidly to measles outbreaks in order to mitigate their size and impact.<\/p>\n
Progress Toward Regional Measles Elimination \u2014 Worldwide, 2000\u20132023<\/a>\u00a0is a joint publication of WHO and CDC. It is published within the WHO Weekly Epidemiological Record and in CDC\u2019s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. CDC and WHO use statistical modelling to estimate measles cases and deaths each year, based on cases reported by countries, and revise previous year’s estimates to assess disease trends over time.<\/p>\n CDC and WHO are founding members of the\u00a0Measles & Rubella Partnership<\/a>\u00a0(M&RP), a global initiative to stop measles and rubella. Under the umbrella of\u00a0Immunization Agenda 2030<\/a>\u00a0and guided by the\u00a0Measles and Rubella Strategic Framework 2030<\/a>, M&RP\u2019s mission includes addressing the decline in national vaccination coverage, hastening the recovery of the measles backsliding resulting from COVID-19 pandemic, and accelerating progress towards creating a world free of measles and rubella. The partnership also includes\u00a0\u00a0American Red Cross<\/a>,\u00a0Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation<\/a>,\u00a0Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance<\/a>,\u00a0United Nations Foundation<\/a>, and\u00a0UNICEF<\/a>.<\/p>\n Measles elimination is defined as the absence of endemic measles virus transmission in a region or other defined geographical area for more than 12 months. Conversely, a country is no longer considered to be measles free if the virus returns and transmission is sustained continuously for more than a year.<\/p>\n For more information on CDC\u2019s global measles vaccination efforts, visit\u00a0https:\/\/www.cdc.gov\/global-measles-vaccination<\/a>.<\/p>\n For more information on WHO\u2019s measles response and support, visit\u00a0https:\/\/www.who.int\/news-room\/fact-sheets\/detail\/measles<\/a>.<\/p>\n