WHO Reports 88% Drop In Measles Deaths, But Cases Spike To 11 Million

A new report from the World Health Organisation (WHO) reveals that global immunisation efforts have led to a huge decline in measles deaths.

WHO said this led to a staggering 88 per cent drop between 2000 and 2024 and saved approximately 59 million lives.

Key findings from the report, according to the WHO on its website on Friday, showed that an estimated 95,000 people, mostly children younger than 5 years of age, died due to measles in 2024.

It added that measles cases surged to 11 million in 2024, which is an 86 per cent increase in the Eastern Mediterranean Region, and that only 84 per cent of children received their first measles vaccine dose, while 76 per cent received the second dose in 2024, a slight improvement from the previous year, with 2 million more children immunised.

The report further highlighted that African Region experienced a 40 per cent decline in cases and 50 per cent decline in deaths over this period, partly due to increasing immunisation coverage.

However, WHO stated that at least 95 per cent coverage with two measles vaccine doses is required to stop transmission and protect communities from outbreaks.

The WHO Director-General, Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, stated that measles is the world’s most contagious virus, noting that these data show once again how it will exploit any gap in the world’s collective defences against it.

He further said, “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.”

The WHO, however, raised concern over deep funding cuts that are affecting the Global Measles and Rubella Laboratory Network (GMRLN) and country immunisation programmes, stressing that they are feared to widen immunity gaps and drive further outbreaks in the coming year.

It also noted that securing sustainable domestic financing and new partners is now a critical challenge to advancing efforts toward a world free of measles.

The global health leader also lamented the growing measles outbreaks in 59 countries, with over 30 million children unprotected against measles in 2024.

WHO further called for strong political commitment and sustained investment to ensure all children receive two doses of the measles vaccine. It also urged investment in rapid outbreak response capabilities to achieve measles elimination.