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The world faces a global increase in measles cases, according to a recent report by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). More than 10.3 million people contracted the disease in 2023, with a worrying drop in vaccination coverage.
Measles, a preventable disease with two doses of vaccine, experienced a rebound from 20% in 2023, reaching 10.3 million cases worldwide, insufficient vaccination coverage is the main driver of this increase.
In 2023, 22 million children did not receive the first dose of the vaccine, while only 74% of those who received the first dose completed the second dose, far from the 95% recommended to prevent outbreaks.
Global Impact: Most Affected Regions
Africa turned out to be the most affected region, accounting for half of the year’s severe outbreaks. Significant increases were also observed in South-East Asia, Europe and the Eastern Mediterranean, while the Region of the Americas stood out as a positive exception thanks to achievements such as the recent elimination of measles in Brazil. This progress once again places the entire region free of endemic measles, which contrasts with the global picture.
Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director General of the WHO, stressed the importance of investing in immunization, noting that the measles vaccine has saved more lives than any other in the past 50 years. According to him, ensuring access to vaccination is essential to protect the most vulnerable.
Fatal Consequences and Complications
In 2023, measles caused approximately 107,500 deaths, most of them in children under 5 years of age.. Although these figures represent a reduction of 81% compared to the previous year, the number of deaths is still unacceptably high considering that this is a preventable disease.
In addition to deaths, measles can cause serious complications such as pneumonia, encephalitis and blindness, which mainly affect infants and young children. These complications highlight the urgent need to improve vaccination programmes in the most affected and vulnerable regions.
Vaccination: Key to Stopping Measles
To control measles, 95% coverage with both doses of the vaccine is needed, a goal that many regions of the world are still far from achieving. Communities in conflict and areas with high vulnerability face the greatest challenges in achieving this goal, which aggravates the risk of outbreaks.
The Dr. Mandy Cohen, CDC Director, stressed that ensuring access to the measles vaccine is essential to protecting global public health. He also highlighted the need to Strengthen existing vaccination programs, improve epidemiological surveillance to detect and contain outbreaks in time, and promote collaboration between countries and international organizations.
The increase in cases is putting the world further away from the goals set out in the 2030 Agenda for Immunization, which seeks the global elimination of measles. However, the report highlights that elimination remains possible if immediate and coordinated measures are taken at a global level.
