Measles Cases Surge Globally by 20%: WHO and CDC Point to Vaccine Gaps

The World Health Organization (WHO) and the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) report a 20% global surge in measles cases in 2023. This alarming increase is primarily attributed to insufficient vaccination coverage in impoverished and conflict-ridden nations.

The African region bore the brunt of the outbreaks, experiencing nearly half of all major cases and a 37% rise in measles-related deaths. “Every country in the world has access to measles vaccines, so no child should contract or die from this preventable disease,” emphasized Natasha Crowcroft, WHO’s senior technical adviser on Measles and Rubella.

Measles, a highly contagious airborne virus primarily affecting children under five, is preventable with two doses of the vaccine. Despite this, global immunization rates remain inadequate. A joint report by WHO and CDC revealed that 10.3 million cases were reported in 2023, compared to 8.65 million in 2022.

While measles deaths decreased by 8% to 107,500, thanks to improved healthcare access in wealthier nations like those in Europe, this toll is still deemed “unacceptable” by health agencies.

Crowcroft identified systemic failures in reaching unvaccinated children as the primary driver of rising cases. She also noted that vaccine hesitancy, exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, has weakened public confidence in routine immunizations for diseases like measles and polio.

The report revealed that over 22 million children missed their first dose of the measles vaccine in 2023. Disruptive outbreaks were reported in 57 countries, a sharp rise from 36 nations in 2022, with significant increases observed in regions including the Eastern Mediterranean, Europe, Southeast Asia, and the Western Pacific.

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